Dear Dr. SerVaas: I am 63 years old with a skin condition diagnosed as morphea. I understand there is no cure. Two and a half years ago, I noticed a few whitish blotches above my ankles. It has now progressed to just below both knees. I have heard that it can spread into the throat and lungs, making swallowing and breathing difficult. Can you tell me anything hopeful about this condition?
Judith Richson
Brown Deer, Wisconsin
Dear Reader: Morphea, also called localized scleroderma, is a persistent condition characterized by areas of thickened and slightly depressed skin. It may affect adults or children. The most common type of morphea involves scarlike oval patches of skin called plaques. Over time, the mauve-colored patches usually become ivory white in the middle surrounded by a purplish halo. Old lesions may be brown. Plaque-type morphea is usually active for several years, then slowly softens.
Long courses of antibiotics and steroid injections are sometimes helpful. Plaque-type morphea involves the skin and nearby tissue without spreading to internal organs. It is not the same as systemic scleroderma--a potentially severe disease which may damage the esophagus, GI tract, lung, heart, and kidney.
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