What Is Scleroderma? (also Known As Systemic Sclerosis) טרשת עור

Scleroderma (also known as systemic sclerosis) literally means “hard skin”. The disorder is characterised by abnormalities of the blood vessels, connective tissue and the immune system. It can affect the skin, digestive system, heart, lungs, muscles and joints.

What happens in Scleroderma?
In scleroderma, the body’s faulty immune system stimulates the fibroblast cells to produce excess collagen. How the body manages and ‘stores’ the excess collagen gives rise to the two major classifications of scleroderma: Limited Scleroderma and Diffuse Scleroderma with different patterns of involvement and symptoms.