Ichthyosis
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Ichthyosis is a group of skin disorders characterized by dry, rough, and scaly skin. There are two main categories of ichthyosis: inherited (due to an abnormal gene) and acquired (can be due to another medical condition or medication).
Types & Symptoms
There are over 30 types of ichthyosis, each with differing symptoms and severity. Some common types include:
Ichthyosis vulgaris (inherited):
most common type - 95% of ichthyosis cases
usually appears during the first year of life
dry, flaky skin
tends to improve with age
Harlequin ichthyosis (inherited):
present at birth
hard, thick, armor-like plates of skin covering the body, which will peel off over the first few weeks of life and be replaced by thinner, red scales
can affect facial features & limit joint movement
Epidermolytic ichthyosis (inherited):
present at birth
red & blistering skin
patches on the body where the outer layer of skin has peeled away
Lamellar ichthyosis (inherited):
present at birth
infant is born with a collodion membrane (a tight, clear covering) covering the body, which is eventually shed after a few weeks
dark, plate-like scales cover the body afterwards
Other types of ichthyosis include X-linked ichthyosis, congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma, erythrokeratodermia variabilis, and progressive symmetric erythrokeratoderma.
Treatment
There is no cure for ichthyosis, but treatments can include:
oral/topical retinoids to reduce scaling
moisturizing creams
oral antibiotics
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