Information
DOCUMENTS ON VARIOUS TOPICS RELATED TO SCLERODERMA
Dermatological Interventions for Facial Manifestations in Scleroderma
As a result of scleroderma, many patients experience functional and cosmetic impairment of the face. This may affect the quality of life and psychological health of patients. Unfortunately, despite the increasing use of cosmetic procedures in the general population, there is a lack of evidence evaluating the safety and effectiveness of these procedures in scleroderma patients… Read more
Scleroderma, or systemic sclerosis, is a relatively misunderstood chronic disease affecting about one in 5,000 people. In British Columbia, it is estimated that several thousands of people suffer from scleroderma. Disease onset usually occurs in the fourth decade of life and is five time more prevalent in women than men. Scleroderma is one of the so-called “autoimmune” diseases in which the body’s antibodies attack its own cells… Read more
The Different Forms of Scleroderma
The name «scleroderma» is derived from the Greek words «sclero», meaning hard and «derma», meaning skin. Thus, the characteristic feature of scleroderma is the hardening of the skin. Scleroderma is generally divided into two main forms: localized scleroderma and systemic scleroderma (or systemic sclerosis)… Read more
There are two types of scleroderma in children.
The first is called «localized scleroderma». This is the most common in children. It affects the skin in one area of the body only. The other type is called «systemic scleroderma». This can affect many areas of the skin, as well as the organs of the body. It is rare in children… Read more
How to diagnose Systemic Sclerosis
The diagnosis of systemic sclerosis (SSc, systemic scleroderma) is usually based on the presence of a combination of symptoms and signs typical of systemic sclerosis: Raynaud’s phenomenon; skin thickening or puffy «sausage-like» swelling of the fingers; autoantibodies associated with systemic sclerosis in a blood sample; abnormalities in small blood vessels at the base of the nails; other skin and internal organ involvement associated with systemic sclerosis… Read more
How to prepare for an Appointment with your Health Care Team
Have your medication list up to date and note if there are any side effects to the medications. If you are not taking some of the medications as prescribed, it is important to report this to your doctor so that a fair assessment can be made of the effectiveness of the treatments… Read more
Scleroderma patients experience a broad spectrum of symptom manifestations. These medical issues cause there to be a need to visit a number of healthcare professionals. Please use this page to record visit to specialists sush as: Rheumatologists, Pneumologists, Cardiologists, Gastroenterologists, Dermatologists, Nephrologists, Vascular Surgeons, etc… Read more
Guide for Informal Caregivers (March 2016)
About half of those who care for a spouse or a child have reported at least 5 symptoms of psychological distress and a third of them have had to see a healthcare professional for a medical condition resulting from their caregiving responsibilities… Read more
Dental Care in Scleroderma (October 2010)
Living with scleroderma is a very demanding challenge. Even so, it is important to maintain good oral hygiene and to minimize oral health care problems. Not all dentists are familiar with scleroderma… Read more