Scleroderma, or systemic sclerosis, is a chronic connective tissue disease generally classified as an autoimmune disease.
The word “scleroderma” comes from the Greek word “sclero”, meaning hard, and the Latin word “derma,” meaning skin. Hardening of the skin is one of the most visible manifestations of the disease. The disease varies from individual-to-individual. Scleroderma is not contagious, infectious, cancerous, or malignant.
scleroderma.org
Scleroderma is a term for a group of diseases that involve the hardening and tightening of skin and connective tissues – and can also harm blood vessels, internal organs, and the digestive tract. Scleroderma is more likely to affect women than men, and in most cases it occurs between the ages of 30 and 50.
June is Scleroderma Awareness Month. Take some time this month to learn more about about a condition that impacts an estimated 300,000 Americans. You can learn more at the Mayo Clinic or the Scleroderma Foundation.
