<unk>  is an autoimmune connective tissue disease. The hallmark of the disease is the presence of autoantibodies against various cellular antigens, which results in small vessel vasculopathy, excessive collagen deposition and fibrosis of skin and internal organs. Growth factors and cytokines play an important role in the underlying pathogenesis. The word<unk>  is greek in origin and translates in to hard skin, describing the skin fibrosis.<unk>  is classified into 2 subtype, limited cutaneous<unk>  and diffuse cutaneous<unk> . CREST syndrome is a variant of limited cutaneous<unk> . Choctaw native Americans have a much higher prevalence of<unk>  than the general population.<unk>  must be differentiated from other diseases that cause skin thickening,<unk> erodactyly, edema and symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease. Common risk factors for<unk>  that have been described in literature are exposure to silica, chlorinated and aromatic solvents and welding fumes. Since there is a possibility of internal organ involvement, screening for fatal complications such as<unk>  renal crisis, pulmonary arterial hypertension, and cardiovascular involvement must be carried out in patients with<unk> .<unk>  is mainly diagnosed based on clinical presentation and the new American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/ European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) classification criteria has been published. The new criteria is more sensitive and is better for detecting disease earlier, so that the fatal renal and pulmonary complications can be screened for and prevented. Nailfold video capillaroscopy is the diagnostic study of choice to confirm Raynaud's phenomenon and<unk>  microangiopathy. The mainstay of treatment for<unk>  is medical therapy. Pharmacologic medical therapies for<unk>  include topical tacrolimus for morphea, methotrexate for diffuse<unk> erosis of the skin, minocycline for calcinosis cutis, nifedipine for Raynaud's phenomenon, captopril for<unk>  renal crisis.
Scleroderma
Anetoderma
Xeroderma
Juvenile dermatomyositis
Scleromyositis
Dermatomyositis
Vitiligo
Fuchs' dystrophy