Symptoms of Epidermolysis Bullosa
The symptoms of epidermolysis bullosa vary depending on the type you have. Everyone with the disease has fragile skin that blisters and tears easily. Other symptoms, by type and subtype, include the following. Epidermolysis bullosa simplex is the most common form of the disease. People who have a mild subtype develop blisters on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. In other more severe subtypes, the blisters occur over the entire body. Depending on the subtype of the disease, other symptoms may include: Thickened skin on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. Rough, thickened, or absent fingernails or toenails. Blisters inside the mouth. Changes in the pigmentation (color) of the skin. Junctional epidermolysis bullosa is usually severe. People who have the most serious form can have open sores on the face, trunk, and legs, which may become infected or cause severe dehydration due to fluid loss. Blisters also can develop in the mouth, esophagus, upper airway, stomach, intestines, urinary system, and genitals. Other symptoms and problems related to the disease may include: Rough and thickened or absent fingernails and toenails. Blisters on the scalp or loss of hair with scarring. Malnutrition resulting from poor intake of calories and vitamins due to blistering in the mouth and gastrointestinal tract. Anemia. Slow overall growth. Poorly formed tooth enamel. Dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa has slightly different symptoms, depending upon whether the disease is dominant or recessive; however, most people have the recessive subtype. Recessive subtype: Symptoms tend to be moderate to severe and may include: Blisters usually appear over large areas of the body; in some milder cases of the disease, blisters may only appear on feet, elbows, and knees. Loss of nails. Skin scarring, which may cause the skin to be thick or thin. Milia, which are small white bumps on the skin. Itching. Anemia. Slow overall growth. Severe forms of the recessive subtype may lead to eye damage, tooth loss, blistering inside the mouth and gastrointestinal tract, and fusing together of the fingers or toes. There is also a high risk of developing skin cancer. This cancer tends to grow and spread faster in people with epidermolysis bullosa than in those without the disease. Dominant subtype: Symptoms may include: Blisters only on the hands, feet, elbows, and knees. Change in shape of nails or nail loss. Milia. Blisters inside the mouth. Kindler syndrome does not have any subtypes. The blisters usually appear on the hands and feet and, in severe cases, spread to other areas of the body, including the esophagus and bladder. Other symptoms include thin, wrinkled skin; scarring; milia; and sensitivity of the skin to sun damage.