Causative & risk factors
It is a congenital condition caused by a genetic mutation inherited from one or both parents.
It can co-exist with other skin disorders such as atopic eczema.
Clinical presentation
The skin is excessively dry and causes a lot of itching. The skin becomes scaly and thickened. The scalp is flaky. The dry and scaly skin typically appears on the elbows and lower legs, and sometimes the arms, hands, middle of the body.
Investigations
Your doctor can diagnose the condition by just looking at your skin. He/ she will ask about any family history of skin disease, and the time of appearance of the symptoms. If there is any doubt, doctor may order other tests like skin biopsy or blood tests, which may help to rule out the other causes.
Treatment
There is no known cure for this condition. So the focus of treatment is to manage the condition.
The doctor will recommend using thick moisturizers on the affected area regularly, which include thick creams and ointments.
Doctor may also prescribe specialized creams or ointments, which contain ingredients like alpha hydroxy acids and retinoids.
This condition causes discomfort but it rarely affects the overall health, and it usually disappears in adulthood, but may recur.
