5th June 2025

Classification

Scleroderma is a term that translates to hardened skin. However, the general term ‘scleroderma’ is often used for both systemic sclerosis (systemic scleroderma) and morphoea (localised scleroderma). Though the skin changes in the two conditions are virtually indistinguishable, on both a clinical and histopathological level, morphoea does not result in damage and fibrosis of the lungs, heart, kidneys and/or gastrointestinal tract. 

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune inflammatory condition that causes fibrosis, inflammation and vasculopathy and involves multiple systems, such as skin, lungs, heart, gastrointestinal tract and kidneys. There are two subtypes of systemic sclerosis according to distribution of skin involvement – limited cutaneous SSc (lcSSc) and diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc).