What is scleroderma?

When a person has scleroderma, the body makes too much collagen. This excess collagen, the substance that holds our body together, causes hardening and tightening.

How scleroderma is treated?

Scleroderma is a chronic illness that will not go away. However, it is manageable. Treatment can make you comfortable. It can help to control the disease and keep it from getting worse. Unfortunately, there is no single treatment for the disease because everyone’s experience with the illness is different.

What are the early signs of Scleroderma?

The earliest symptoms of Scleroderma are often fingers that become very sensitive to cold and/or stress and fingers that sometimes change color. These changes in your fingers are known as Raynaud’s and are caused by the excess collagen of Scleroderma that narrows blood vessels and reduces the flow of blood to body tissues and organs.

What causes scleroderma?

Scleroderma is not contagious; you cannot catch it from someone, nor can you give it to another person. The cause of Scleroderma is currently unknown. There does not seem to be evidence that Scleroderma is hereditary although, research is being conducted that indicates there are other factors that may trigger scleroderma in people who are predisposed.

Is scleroderma inherited?

Scleroderma is not considered a hereditary disease. However, some families are more affected by autoimmune disorders than others. Although scleroderma is not directly inherited, some scientists feel there is a slight predisposition to it in families with a history of rheumatic diseases.