Scleroderma, or systemic sclerosis, is a chronic connective tissue disease
generally classified as one of the autoimmune rheumatic diseases.
The word “scleroderma” comes from two Greek words: “sclero”
meaning hard, and “derma” meaning skin. Hardening of the skin is one of the most
visible manifestations of the disease. The disease has been called “progressive
systemic sclerosis,” but the use of that term has been discouraged since it has
been found that scleroderma is not necessarily progressive. The disease may take
several forms which will be explained later. There is also much variability
among patients.
What Scleroderma is not
Scleroderma is not contagious, it is not infectious, it is
not cancerous or malignant.
How serious is
scleroderma?
Any chronic diseas