Symptoms

Scleroderma's signs and symptoms vary, depending on which parts of your body are affected:

• Skin. Nearly everyone who has scleroderma experiences a hardening and tightening of patches of skin. These patches may be shaped like ovals or straight lines, or cover wide areas of the trunk and limbs. The number, location and size of the patches vary by type of scleroderma. Skin can appear shiny because it's so tight, and movement of the affected area may be restricted.
• Fingers or toes. One of the earliest signs of systemic scleroderma is Raynaud's disease, which causes the small blood vessels in your fingers and toes to contract in response to cold temperatures or emotional distress. When this happens, your fingers or toes may turn blue or feel painful or numb. Raynaud's disease also occurs in people who don't have scleroderma.
• Digestive system. Scleroderma can cause a variety of digestive symptoms, depending on which part of the digestive tract is affected. If the esophagus is affected, you might have heartburn or difficulty swallowing. If the intestines are affected, you might have cramps, bloating, diarrhea or constipation. Some people who have scleroderma may also have problems absorbing nutrients if their intestinal muscles aren't properly moving food through the intestines.
• Heart, lungs or kidneys. Scleroderma can affect the function of the heart, lungs or kidneys to varying degrees. These problems, if left untreated, can become life-threatening.