Scleroderma

Scleroderma is a chronic, although rare, autoimmune disease in which normal tissue is replaced by thick, dense fibrous tissue. Normally, the immune system helps defend the body against disease and infection. In scleroderma patients, the immune system stimulates other cells to produce too much collagen. This extra collagen builds up in the skin and organs, causing hardening and thickening.

Although scleroderma most commonly affects the skin, it can also affect many other parts of the body, including the gastrointestinal tract, lungs, kidneys, heart, blood vessels, muscles, and joints. In its most serious forms, scleroderma can be life-threatening.