Morphea

Evidence: Unconfirmed

Names

Morphea Localized Scleroderma

Description

Morphea is a disorder primarily affecting the skin. There are several types of morphea:

Localized or circumscribed morphea causes patients to develop oval-shaped areas of redness. Irritated skin may be limited to a single patch or to several patches covering a smaller area.
Generalized morphea is more widespread, affecting a number of skin regions throughout the body. In linear morphea, skin irritation appears in a linear, rather than an oval shape. Damage can penetrate to the tissues below the skin, including muscle and bone.
Pansclerotic morphea, the rarest and most severe form, usually affect children and involves the entire body, also penetrating through the skin into the bone.

The cause of morphea is unknown but is believed to be autoimmune. There is no cure, but treatments are available to manage symptoms. Patches of irritation caused by mild types of morphea often improve in 3-5 years, though new patches may develop. However, damage affecting both the skin and the muscles/bones, as in linear morphea, may have a longer duration and occur in cycles of flares and remission, while pansclerotic morphea tends to worsen significantly with time. Both linear and pansclerotic morphea may cause severe disability.