The Overlooked Battle: How Scleroderma Affects More Than Just the Skin

When people hear about scleroderma, they often assume it’s just a skin disease. After all, the name itself comes from the Greek words skleros (hard) and derma (skin). But what many don’t realize is that scleroderma isn’t just about thickened skin—it’s a systemic disease that can attack organs, blood vessels, and even a person’s ability to breathe.

I saw this firsthand with my grandmother. At first, the changes were small—her skin became tight, making movement more difficult. But over time, the disease started affecting her lungs. She would get tired easily, her breathing would become labored, and simple tasks became exhausting. This was because of pulmonary fibrosis, a condition where the lungs develop scarring, making it harder for them to expand. In severe cases, scleroderma patients may develop pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), which causes high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs and can be life-threatening.

What’s frustrating is that many doctors don’t initially connect lung issues to scleroderma. Patients often go undiagnosed until the disease has already done significant damage. And in countries like India, where specialized care is hard to access, these complications can go untreated for far too long.

This is why early detection is critical. If doctors and patients are more aware that scleroderma can affect the lungs, they can take steps like lung function tests and early interventions to slow the disease’s progression.

My grandmother didn’t have that chance—but raising awareness can give others the opportunity she never had.