Risk factors

• Your sex. Women are far more likely to develop limited scleroderma than men are.
• Age. Limited scleroderma is more common between the ages of 30 and 50.
• Race. In the United States, limited scleroderma tends to be more severe in blacks and Native Americans than in whites.
• Genetic factors. If someone in your family has an autoimmune disease — such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis or Hashimoto's disease — you have an increased risk of developing limited scleroderma.
• Exposure to toxins. Certain toxic substances — such as polyvinyl chloride, benzene, silica and trichloroethylene — might trigger scleroderma in people with a genetic predisposition to the disease.