Although scleroderma is often referred to as a single disease, it is really a symptom of a group of diseases. This group involves the abnormal growth of connective tissue, which supports the skin and internal organs. Therefore, scleroderma is sometimes used as an umbrella term for these disorders. Scleroderma is derived from the Greek words "sklerosis," meaning hardness, and "derma," meaning skin. Therefore, scleroderma literally means "hard skin." In most people, early symptoms are swelling and puffiness of the fingers or hands and Raynaud's phenomenon (a disorder that affects blood vessels in the fingers, toes, ears, and nose).