Early symptoms of diffuse scleroderma typically come on suddenly. Skin thickening occurs quickly and over much of the body, affecting the hands, face, upper arms, upper legs, chest, and stomach in a symmetrical fashion (for example, if one arm or one side of the trunk is affected, the other is also affected). Scleroderma can also damage internal key organs, such as the heart, lungs, and kidneys.
People with diffuse scleroderma often experience:
Tiredness
Loss of appetite and weight
Joint swelling and/or pain
Skin changes, such as swelling, appearing shiny, and feeling tight and itchy.
The damage caused by diffuse scleroderma typically occurs over a few years.
Early Symptoms of Sine Scleroderma
Some doctors break systemic scleroderma down into a third subset called sine (Latin for "without"). Sine resembles limited or diffuse systemic sclerosis, causing changes in the lungs, kidneys, and blood vessels. However, there is one key difference between sine and other forms of systemic sclerosis: it does not affect the skin.
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