Scleroderma, also known as systemic sclerosis or systemic scleroderma, is a connective tissue disease characterized by localized or diffuse fibrosis, sclerosis and atrophy of connective tissue in skin and internal organs. Its main feature is fibrosis or sclerosis of skin, synovium, skeletal muscle, blood vessels and esophagus. The disease varies in severity, involving only fingers and facial skin (localized type). At the initial stage, the face, hands and/or feet are swollen, and the skin is tight and cannot be lifted. It looks like a sausage, also known as a sausage-like finger. The skin gradually thickens, and skin wrinkles and wrinkles disappear. In the later stage, the skin is hardened and atrophied, the facial skin is thin, the expression is dull, the nose tip and helix are thin, and the mouth is limited, like

Raynaud's phenomenon is usually regarded as the initial symptom of scleroderma, and some patients still have skin changes more than 10 years after Raynaud's phenomenon. 1/3 patients may have joint pain and joint stiffness, and a few patients have definite arthritis. In addition, some patients show severe muscle weakness, which is not easy to distinguish from dermatomyositis. Some patients' condition progresses gradually, and it often takes a long time, some for decades, before the clinical manifestations of special visceral involvement appear. Patients with severe scleroderma may have extensive skin changes involving the chest, abdomen and back (diffuse type), and some patients describe their stomachs as slate. Patients with diffuse scleroderma may have visceral involvement, and some patients find that their kidneys, hearts and other important organs have been involved at the time of onset, which is dangerous and even life-threatening.

At present, it is believed that the etiology of this disease is related to genetic factors, sex hormone levels, certain chemicals and drugs, infection and other factors.

Knowing the cause of scleroderma, the prevention of scleroderma will have a certain direction. People should have a regular daily life, have a proper diet, avoid being attacked by viruses due to overwork and mood swings, and try to avoid contact with certain chemicals and drugs. We also found that hairdressers and people who are exposed to some chemicals have a higher incidence in clinical work, especially friends with rheumatism in the family should pay special attention to the above problems to avoid getting sick!