Atrophy of subcutaneous tissue. Skin atrophy: classification, symptoms and treatment methods

Makeup

Skin atrophy is a pathological process that results in an irreversible change in its structure and a decrease in volume. First of all, elastic fibers suffer from destruction, but changes occur during this process to varying degrees of severity in the dermis, epidermis, and subcutaneous tissue. The skin becomes thin and fragile, changes color and loses elasticity.

This kind of atrophic changes occurs in a certain group of diseases that differ in etiological characteristics and pathogenesis. They are united only by the clinical picture observed in dystrophic disorders.

When does skin atrophy occur?

There are congenital skin atrophy, senile, primary and secondary.

Congenital pathology manifests itself in the form of atrophic birthmarks, aplasia, and hemiatrophy of the facial skin.

The primary variant of the disease occurs when it is not possible to determine the cause. This phenomenon occurs more often in women.

Secondary atrophy of the skin begins after certain diseases or harmful effects.

Senile atrophy is considered physiological, since its appearance is due to normal processes associated with age. But it can be accelerated by various factors.

Various conditions can provoke the development of atrophy:

Pregnancy or obesity (skin stretching occurs).
Endocrine disorders.
Malnutrition, exhaustion.
Disorders associated with the central nervous system.
Rheumatic diseases.
Infectious diseases (leprosy, tuberculosis).
Itsenko-Cushing's disease.
Traumatic injuries and burns.
Exposure to radiation.
Dermatological diseases (poikiloderma, lichen planus).
The use of products containing glucocorticoids, including locally in the form of ointments.

Skin atrophy after hormonal ointments occurs as a result of their suppression of collagen synthesis. This is often observed when using these drugs during the treatment of psoriatic rash. The development of such atrophy is based on the ability of steroids to constrict blood vessels and inhibit reparative processes. They also reduce the rate and process of formation of elastic fibers and contribute to increased degenerative changes. This is especially true for fluoride-containing products for topical use.

To improve the condition, doctors recommend stopping the use of this type of medication, after which the skin condition returns to normal. It should be noted that, first of all, this causes atrophic changes on the face and disorders of the skin in the area of folding. If the use of ointments is necessary, then they are best applied in the evening, since it has been proven that this period corresponds to the least proliferative activity of the skin.

Facial skin atrophy is a manifestation of disorders associated with the central nervous system. It can occur with developmental defects, cranial injuries, and encephalitis. This symptom may also indicate damage to the cervical ganglia of the spinal cord. Typically, such changes affect only one side and are called hemiatrophy. As it progresses, not only the skin undergoes changes, but muscles and bone tissue are also involved in the process. The face becomes asymmetrical, all hair falls out - eyebrows and eyelashes. Most often, children and young people suffer from this disease. Changes are very rarely observed in adults.

Depending on the extent of the lesion, diffuse atrophy is distinguished (with damage to large areas), disseminated (when minor foci are scattered among unchanged skin) and limited.

Therapeutic measures for skin atrophy

Treatment of skin atrophy is a complex process involving many specialists. In order to exclude or confirm the diagnosis, endocrinologists, allergists, neurologists or infectious disease specialists may be involved. The tactics of measures depend on many factors - the etiology of the disease, the prevalence of the process, the age and general condition of the patient.

To improve trophism and restore the reparative abilities of the skin, it is recommended to take multivitamins and drugs aimed at improving local blood flow (pentoxifylline or trental). Treatment with physiotherapeutic techniques helps well in such cases.

If ulcers, neoplasms or ulcers form at the site of atrophy, you should definitely consult an oncologist and surgeon. The presence of areas of suppuration requires cleaning and opening of abscesses, and growths on the skin must be examined using a biopsy to exclude oncopathology.

Sometimes the question arises about skin grafting from a less noticeable place. This is usually the inner thighs or buttocks area.

How does skin atrophy manifest?

Signs of skin atrophy are easy to notice. In these areas it becomes thinner and begins to resemble tissue paper (Pospelov's symptom). This zone also differs in color - it has a whitish or bluish tint, is covered with small folds or wrinkles, and is devoid of hair.

Atrophied skin is not moisturized and has few fibers, so it is dry and inelastic, its areas can protrude above the intact skin, or, conversely, sink in, forming pits.

Over a large area of damage with a generalized form of atrophy, hematomas and hemorrhages may be observed, and the vascular network is visible. With a long course, the disease can degenerate into tumor formations or scleroderma. In the latter case, the skin is tightly sealed to the adjacent tissues and does not move or fold during palpation.

In uncomplicated forms of atrophy, the patient has no general complaints. The addition of an infection can give symptoms of intoxication in the form of headache, fever, aching joints and general weakness. But such manifestations are not typical signs of skin atrophy.

Healthy, radiant skin with impeccably even texture and uniform color is the key to the beauty and success of its owner, regardless of his gender. With age or as a result of injury, as well as exposure to other pathological factors, negative changes occur in the tissue composition of the dermis: the superficial and deeper layers become thinner, the volume and number of elastic fibers decrease, causing processes of skin atrophy.

These aesthetic defects appearing on open areas of the human body (face, décolleté, collar area, hands and the rest of the surface) spoil the overall impression of appearance. Often they cause most women and men not so much physical as moral suffering. Immediate consultation with a doctor and adequate treatment will help avoid irreversible pathological changes in the dermis.

Classification

Doctors distinguish between physiological (or natural) destruction of the skin, which occurs as a result of the gradual aging of the body, and pathological, in which not the entire skin is affected, but its individual areas. Age-related or physiological atrophy of the skin after fifty years is associated with changes in the hormonal sphere, the blood supply system to tissues, the chemical composition of the blood, as well as disturbances in the physiological functions of the body.

This process develops slowly and gradually over many years. Pathological destruction of the skin is characterized by several signs of division: by the nature of formation (primary and secondary); by prevalence (diffuse and limited); by time of appearance (congenital and acquired).

Primary skin atrophy (a photo of which demonstrates the presence of stretch marks, or stretch marks) is caused by pregnancy, when significant changes occur in the functioning of the endocrine organs.

With diffuse damage to the skin, an impressive part of the surface changes, including the outer layer of the epidermis of the arms and legs. The limited form of the disease is characterized by the presence of local foci adjacent to unchanged healthy skin.

Secondary destruction of the dermis occurs in areas of the body previously affected by other diseases (tuberculosis, syphilis, lupus erythematosus and other inflammatory processes or skin disorders that accompany diabetes).

Local skin atrophy most often occurs in children, young women or adolescents with uncontrolled use of drugs, especially those containing fluoride (Sinalar or Fluorocort), as well as the enhanced action of ointments prescribed for use under an occlusive (sealed) dressing.

Etiological development factors

The most common form of damage to the structure of the skin is hormonal skin atrophy, which occurs during pregnancy or obesity associated with metabolic disorders. When elastic fibers are stretched or ruptured, striae appear in various parts of the body.

Other triggers for this skin disease include:

endocrine disorders (including Itsenko-Cushing's disease);
disruptions in the functioning of the central nervous system;
eating disorders (including exhaustion);
rheumatic diseases;
infectious diseases (tuberculosis or leprosy);
radiation exposure and burns;
traumatic injuries;
dermatological diseases (lichen planus, poikiloderma), as well as the use of drugs containing glucocorticosteroids (including in the form of ointments).

The appearance of skin atrophy, despite many provoking factors, is based on the mechanism of local tissue biodegradation, in which their nutrition is disrupted and the activity of cellular skin enzymes is significantly reduced. This leads to a predominance of the processes of catabolism (destruction of tissue structure) over anabolism (their construction or restoration).

Signs by which foci of the disease can be identified

Cosmetic defects in the form of sunken “islands” with various shades: from pearly white to bluish-red or venous networks can coexist with healthy areas of the skin. Disruption of metabolic processes in the dermis leads to the appearance of folds with thinned skin, any careless touch to which can injure the epidermis. Elderly patients often develop stellate pseudoscars, hemorrhages or hematomas.

Which doctors are needed for diagnosis and treatment?

Pathological skin atrophy, the treatment of which involves a whole range of different measures, should be examined by many specialists. Dermatologists with the involvement of endocrinologists and neurologists, allergists and infectious disease specialists, surgeons and oncologists can confirm or exclude this diagnosis. Scars located below the skin level, which appear as a result of trauma or medical procedures, burns, chicken pox or acne, should first be shown to a dermatologist.

Treatment method by professionals

Treatment methods for this disease depend on a number of factors: etiology and localization of the destructive process, age, health status and perseverance of the patient. Skin atrophy after hormonal medications (including the use of external agents in the form of ointments) can occur a long time (up to several months!) after completion of treatment by an endocrinologist.

In order to activate the process of tissue repair, it is necessary to stop taking medications containing corticosteroids at the initial stage. In case of secondary pathology of the dermis, the doctor recommends initially curing the underlying (preceding) disease, and then proceeding to improve tissue trophism, saturate the body with vitamins and, in some cases, use antibiotic therapy.

In what cases is the help of a surgeon required? It is needed for excision of small, multiple or large boils, carbuncles, deep purulent processes in tissues, as well as for Consultation with an oncologist is necessary if various neoplasms (warts, papillomas and others) appear on the surface of the lesions. Using a biopsy, the nature of the growths is determined in order to prevent the occurrence of oncological problems.

Procedures

Modern medicine has many different methods for getting rid of an unaesthetic defect, such as atrophy of the skin of the face or any other area of the dermis. The arsenal of professionals includes:

surgical excision of the lesion;
mesotherapy;
microdermabrasion;
laser therapy;
chemical peeling;
subcision or cutting of scars;
cryotherapy;
electrocoagulation;
enzyme therapy;
hydration;
treatment with special creams and ointments.

Depending on the degree of the disease, its etiology, the patient’s age and the presence of chronic ailments, the clinic specialist selects the optimal set of procedures.

The standard treatment regimen includes: taking multivitamin complexes that stimulate immune and regenerative processes in the patient’s body; physiotherapeutic procedures that help activate the blood supply to the affected areas of the dermis, as well as injections or administration of the drug “Pentoxifylline” (commercial name “Trental”), which improves blood microcirculation.

At the aesthetic surgery clinic

Considering various methods of treating this disease, to achieve optimal results, a dermatologist may recommend surgical correction of scars to make them as neat and invisible as possible. For this purpose, a laser or scalpel is used to lift the edges of the affected area or skin is transplanted from healthy areas.

Another method is subcision. It involves cutting and lifting the connective fibers produced by the body at the site of the scar using a special needle. By lifting the bottom of the lesion, the needle releases it, leveling the damaged surface of the dermis.

Other methods:

microdermabrasion (skin polishing with microscopic crystals);
mesotherapy (injections of therapeutic cocktails into the middle layer of the skin to stimulate the synthesis of collagen fibers, correct scars and age-related atrophic changes);
chemical peeling (with removal of the upper layers of skin - from superficial keratinized to middle and deep);
enzyme therapy;
moisturizing (with preparations based on hyaluronic acid);
laser therapy.

The methods can be used both to correct scars and to improve the appearance of aging.

Ointments

Hardware methods for treating destructive processes in tissues can be practiced in combination with the use of external agents. How to select the right ointment? Skin atrophy is a disease of the dermis that should only be treated by a specialist! Self-medication of scars and pathologically altered areas of the dermis can lead to a deterioration in their appearance and condition.

To solve an individual aesthetic problem, the doctor prescribes gels and ointments that improve blood circulation in tissues, their nutrition and oxygen saturation, have anti-inflammatory properties and stimulate tissue regeneration: Contractubex, Kelofibrase, Stratoderm, MedGel, Dermatix, Scarguard and Kelo-cote, selecting the most suitable drug .

Traditional medicine in the fight against destructive skin changes

Treatment of skin atrophy using home baths, lotions and healing oils, taking tinctures, decoctions and infusions from medicinal plants is allowed with the permission of a doctor in combination with traditional methods. For example, when initial signs of white atrophy appear (small round or irregularly shaped foci the color of white porcelain), herbalists advise crushing chestnut fruits (100 g) and pouring 0.5-0.6 liters of alcohol into them. Infuse the product for a week in a place protected from light rays. Take chestnut tincture orally, 10 drops 3 times a day. A similar home remedy of nutmeg (prepared in the same way) is consumed in 20 drops with the same frequency.

External folk remedies for skin ailments

Powder from dried leaves (seed, yarrow, thyme, birch and eucalyptus buds) is diluted in almond and peach oils, taken in equal proportions (50 ml each), and one tablespoon of glycerin is added. For skin lesions associated with burns, traditional medicine suggests using chamomile flowers, calendula, nettle leaves, shoots of yarrow and St. John's wort, cudweed and knotweed. Decoctions of these herbs can also be used for lotions, in the form of powder mixed in rosehip, sea buckthorn or corn oil. Adding yellow beeswax to homemade “ointments” with vegetable oils and medicinal herbs has a beneficial effect on the skin.

Prevention and improvement of skin appearance

There are several specific measures to prevent the occurrence of destructive skin changes in adults and children: carefully use hormonal drugs, avoid prolonged contact with direct ultraviolet rays, monitor the general health and skin condition, carry out immediate sanitation of foci of infection in the dermis and in the body as a whole. Skin atrophy after hormonal ointments requires stopping their use and consulting a doctor. Regular examination and timely detection of serious diseases (diabetes mellitus, dangerous infections, disorders in the hematopoietic system) will also help to avoid problems with the destruction of the skin structure.

Moisturizing the abdomen during pregnancy with creams, olive oil or gels will prevent the appearance of stretch marks. Skin care and regular visits to a cosmetologist will help rejuvenate and accelerate the regeneration of the dermis. For all types of atrophy, sanatorium-resort treatment is indicated for the prevention and relief of the disease: sulfur and hydrogen sulfide baths, therapeutic mud, as well as vitamin restorative therapy.

Skin atrophy or atrophoderma is a whole group of chronic diseases. The main symptom is thinning of the skin layers. With this pathology, the skin changes; this can be caused by a decrease in elastic tissue. The second name of the disease is elastosis (colloid degeneration as a result of aging of the dermis).

Description

The process of atrophy consists of the destruction of one of the main components of the skin - collagen and elastic fibers, which results in degeneration of connective tissue. Skin atrophy is often found in women, as it can appear as a result of skin stretching during pregnancy, obesity, problems with the endocrine system, diseases of the central nervous system, after serious infectious diseases, as a result of age-related and trophic changes.

Atrophied skin becomes thinner, gathers in folds - they cannot be smoothed out, the skin becomes dry, pearl-white or reddish in color, and a network of veins can be visible through it.

Classification

Skin atrophy is considered an irreversible, non-treatable condition. Atrophy is divided into:

limited, when individual atrophic areas appear;
diffuse, when skin atrophy occurs due to aging of the body;
primary (an example is facial hemiatrophy);
secondary, which can become a complication after an illness (tuberculosis, lupus erythematosus, syphilis), or can be triggered by exposure of the skin to sun rays, x-rays, radiation;
congenital - these can be birthmarks, aplasia;
acquired form.

The congenital form is a dysplasia (developmental abnormality) of the ectoderm, which is considered the source of epithelial skin cells; it affects not only the skin itself, but hair, nails, teeth, even the sebaceous and sweat glands.

Skin atrophy can also be divided into:

atrophic nevus, is a plaque-like birthmark located in the epidermis or dermis;
atrophic is characterized by the absence of skin on small hairy areas of the head;
hemiatrophy of the face, in which thinning of the facial skin occurs, asymmetrically, affecting all layers of the dermis, and this process also affects muscle tissue;
involutive atrophy of the skin is represented by various wrinkles.

The seriousness of this disease lies in the ability of some types of atrophy to transform into cancer.

Causes

Aging and pregnancy can be attributed to physiological causes, and everything else refers to pathological problems. In people who are always outdoors, in the sun or in the wind, this pathological condition manifests itself much faster.

The main reasons for the development of atrophy are:

generalized thinning of the skin (aging, rheumatic diseases, use of glucocorticoids);
the occurrence of atrophic scars, chronic atrophic acrodermatitis, poikiloderma (variegated skin with spotty or reticular pigmentation);
anetoderma (which can appear after inflammatory diseases, characterized by the absence of elastic tissue);
atrophic nevus;
panatrophy (death of the skin, when the process occurs in all its structures: epidermis, dermis, fiber);
follicular atrophoderma (impaired skin nutrition).

Skin atrophy may be caused by a reaction to corticosteroid therapy. These could be creams that contain fluoride-containing substances (fluorocort, sinalar), the use of which is not controlled by a doctor. Often women and children become “hostages” of the use of such ointments.

Atrophy can also be caused by a weakening of metabolic processes in the body, as well as pathological processes caused by cachexia (depletion of the body), lack of vitamins (beriberi), hormonal disorders, malfunction of the circulatory system, and inflammation.

Symptoms

The first symptoms that indicate the beginning of skin problems are:

thinning of the skin and decreased elasticity;
the skin becomes dry, wrinkles are noticeable (like tissue paper) that do not want to straighten out;
when stroked, the skin looks like wet suede;
changes color (skin tone becomes grayish or bluish);
the surface begins to peel off.

Skin atrophy can also include: the appearance of warts or senile keratomas (specific dark brown growths that look like freckles), (squamous cell skin cancer). Often these pathologies appear in areas that are exposed to nature. Overgrowth of connective tissue is possible, causing thickened areas of the skin to appear, and this pathology can provoke.

During pregnancy or puberty, areas of band-like atrophy may occur due to hormonal changes. They can be seen on the abdomen, mammary glands, they resemble pinkish-white stripes. Lifting heavy weights can cause atrophy on the back, and during puberty, worm-like skin atrophy (acne) appears.

Diagnosis and treatment

Diagnosing skin atrophy is quite simple, but if a serious pathology occurs, then they resort to histological examination. Atrophy cannot be cured, but to improve the condition, you can try drugs that will improve skin nutrition (xanthinol, nicotinate), to improve the functioning of the nervous system, the use of B6 + magnesium is suitable, and vitamin therapy is also prescribed. The aesthetic appearance of the skin can be improved by seeking the help of a cosmetologist or plastic surgeon.

The concept of atrophy combines a group of skin diseases manifested by thinning of the upper layers - the epidermis and dermis, and sometimes the subcutaneous fat tissue underneath. Layers located deeper are rarely affected. Visually, the skin is dry, appears transparent, wrinkled, and the vascular network is clearly visible on it.

Observations by dermatologists indicate a predominance of atrophy in women. They are more prone to restructuring the body under the influence of hormonal effects. For example, white stripes and stretch marks that appear after childbirth are also a variant of atrophy.

Diseases characterized by skin atrophy:

atrophic scars;
poikiloderma;
atrophic nevus;
atrophic aplasia;
scleroderma;
dermatomyositis;
systemic lupus erythematosus;
various vasculitis;
xeroderma pigmentosa;
progressive facial hemiatrophy;
chronic pyoderma;
severe chronic infectious diseases (tuberculosis, syphilis);
porphyria.

Atrophy occurs both independently, without pronounced accompanying symptoms, and as part of a syndrome.

What is skin atrophy

Atrophy is an irreversible disorder in the anatomical structure of the skin, which is characterized by a decrease in its volume, as well as qualitative changes in the cellular and intercellular composition of the tissue, especially in the structure of elastic fibers. The number of fibers decreases, which impairs the extensibility of the skin, reduces turgor (tone) and impairs functional properties. The protective function is weakened - the role of a barrier between the environment and the internal environment of the body, the thermoregulatory function - maintaining constant body heat, the metabolic function - the skin is a huge factory where vital substances are produced (for example, vitamin D).

Etiology, pathogenesis and histogenesis

The etiology of the condition is varied. It all depends on the type of atrophy. For example, the involutional form is based on a violation of trophic (nutritional) processes. The cause of atrophy in systemic connective tissue diseases is an autoimmune inflammatory process and impaired blood flow. In the development of steroid atrophy, inhibition of proliferative (cell reproduction) and regenerative (restorative) processes, a decrease in the synthesis of fibrous structures of the dermis due to increased breakdown of proteins - the basis of collagen and elastic fibers - play a role.

In the pathohistogenesis of atrophy, thinning of the epidermis is noted as a result of a decrease in the number of epithelial cells and their size. The ability of epidermal cells to proliferate (reproduce) is reduced, which is proven by electron microscopy of intracellular processes (the number of cellular organelles is reduced, mitochondria are reduced - the potential of metabolic processes in the cell is reduced). Thinning of the dermis is accompanied by morphological changes in collagen and elastic fibrous structures, thickening of the walls of blood vessels, and atrophic changes in the skin appendages (hair follicles, sweat and sebaceous glands). Instead of a fibrous structure, the fibers become fragmented and look like lumps and lumps. As atrophic processes progress, the number of dead cells increases, collagen and elastic fibers lose functionality.

Important! Diseases accompanied by skin atrophy occur at any age, but more often in the elderly. They are widespread or localized, with varying degrees of severity, which is determined by the response to therapeutic measures. Atrophic areas are easily injured and, conversely, difficult to recover, which requires patients to be careful and careful

Causes of skin atrophy

Atrophy, as already mentioned, is a natural phenomenon as the body ages. But pathological, often “young” atrophy is a symptom of a certain disease. Causes:

inflammatory diseases of various nature;
hormonal diseases;
diseases of the nervous system;
autoimmune diseases, especially systemic collagenoses;
long-term repeated traumatic exposure to various factors;
long-term glucocorticoid therapy;
metabolic diseases;
burns (thermal and solar);
congenital disorders.

Often it is not possible to find the exact cause of the process - then they talk about idiopathic atrophy.

Risk factors

Risk factors include:

age - older people have a higher tendency to atrophy;
gender - slightly more common in women;
genetics - the genotype most strongly determines the susceptibility to various diseases, including those accompanied by atrophy;
harmful working conditions - hard physical labor with increased mechanical, chemical and thermal stress on the skin.

The classification of skin atrophy is described in the table below.

The atrophic process is divided into localized (when one limited area is subject to atrophic changes) and diffuse (the entire skin is involved to one degree or another).

Skin atrophy in a child

Atrophic skin lesions in children are often a consequence of persistent allergic dermatitis, especially with simultaneous irrational treatment with glucocorticoids, and post-traumatic skin changes (due to chemical and thermal burns). We should not forget about chronic systemic infectious diseases and chronic pyoderma (purulent bacterial skin infections). There has been an increase in the number of connective tissue diseases in children that cause atrophy of the skin (scleroderma, systemic lupus erythematosus, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis).

The atrophy of children's skin should not be taken lightly. Beginning at an early age, morphological changes in the cells of the epidermis and dermis lead to persistent and profound violations of the protective properties of the skin throughout a person’s entire life. The key to successfully combating atrophic skin processes in children is timely, correct treatment of the underlying disease under the constant supervision of a pediatrician. If necessary, pediatric dermatologists and surgeons are involved in the treatment process.

How to detect

At the initial stages, it is difficult to notice atrophic skin disorders even for an experienced specialist. Symptoms differ depending on the pathology, but a common symptom is the appearance of problem areas on the skin (changes in pigmentation, surface, subjective sensations when touched).

What you need to pay attention to:

increased dryness of the skin;
change in skin color (both in the direction of increasing the intensity of color and in the direction of decreasing - paleness of the skin);
thinning and translucency of the skin (subcutaneous structures, such as blood vessels, are sometimes visible);
If atrophic skin is folded, it wrinkles easily and is not elastic.

Doctor's advice! If it seems to you that your skin has changed, you are not happy with its appearance, color or anything else, see a specialist who will help you figure it out

Symptoms of skin atrophy

Atrophic skin has an senile appearance, resembles tracing paper, and is subject to excessive trauma. Due to the rich vascular pattern in the area of atrophic changes, livedo reticularis occurs (a medical concept that characterizes a cyanotic mesh pattern on the skin). Areas of atrophy are rich in telangiectasias (spider veins - dilated capillaries) and small pinpoint hemorrhages.

Each disease accompanied by skin atrophy has characteristics of the atrophic process. For example, when pathology manifests itself during puberty, the typical localization is the area of the mammary glands and thighs. In this case, the affected areas are located parallel to each other.

During pregnancy, the localization of the process is the mammary glands and the anterior wall of the abdomen due to their increase in size and load on the skin. This is accompanied by the appearance on the skin of the chest and abdomen of whitish worm-shaped stripes - striae. In idiopathic and congenital forms, atrophy is typical in the facial area (mainly the cheeks).

Which doctors should I contact?

Be smart in your actions. If you suspect that your skin is sick, do not self-medicate. Initially, it is enough to contact a doctor who will decide whether to treat the problem yourself or refer you to a specialist. It is rare for a doctor to make a diagnosis right away; more often, a qualified opinion from an experienced one is needed.

The diagnostic range of diseases, as can be seen from the list of causes of atrophy, is very wide. Therefore, the doctor can refer you to an infectious disease specialist, surgeon, oncologist, endocrinologist, or allergist for consultation. Effective treatment requires a correct diagnosis.

Diagnostics

The primary diagnosis of atrophy involves an external examination of the surface of the problem area and its tactile examination for pain and compaction. If areas that are thinned, dry and prone to damage are detected, it is advisable to conduct a histological examination of the biopsy material (using a special instrument, a piece of tissue is cut off for the purpose of microscopic examination of the cellular structure). Biopsy is a reliable and accurate method for diagnosing the cause of skin atrophy. To examine the structure of subcutaneous fat tissue, ultrasound diagnostics are performed, which helps to detect structural abnormalities and possible foci of inflammation.

Usually, in addition to the specific studies mentioned above, general additional laboratory and instrumental tests are prescribed (general blood and urine tests, biochemical tests, allergy tests, ultrasound examination of internal organs).

Treatment of skin atrophy

Effective treatment is sometimes difficult to achieve, not to mention complete convalescence (recovery), which is almost impossible. As mentioned above, morphological changes in atrophied areas are irreversible. Consequently, treatment is only symptomatic, aimed at slowing down the process.

In the arsenal of modern medicine to combat atrophy - vitamin preparations, local remedies to improve trophism; physiotherapeutic procedures; Spa treatment. In severe cases (with autoimmune processes, systemic collagenosis), it is often impossible to do without the use of heavy artillery - cytostatics (drugs that block cell division), hormones, biological treatment (monoclonal antibodies against components of the immune system).

ethnoscience

The use of traditional medicine will not help to radically reverse the process, but will support the basic treatment therapy. For this purpose, decoctions and infusions of medicinal herbs are used, which moisturize the skin and improve its regeneration. However, you should not place high bets on such therapy, especially if carried out as self-medication without the advice of a doctor.

Possible complications and consequences

The most dangerous complication is malignant degeneration of atrophic areas of the skin. Fortunately, this does not happen often, but it requires the vigilance of the patient himself and regular monitoring by the attending physician. Atrophic skin is injured much more often and more easily, and takes longer to heal than healthy skin. Serious consequences of the process are cosmetic defects when it comes to the face, hands, and scalp.

Forecast

In most cases, the ability to work and social activity of patients is not limited, the quality of life suffers slightly, with the exception of atrophic processes in the face and other open surfaces, in the presence of cosmetic defects.

Prevention

Measures to prevent the occurrence of atrophy disease include gentle care of the skin, protection from excess solar radiation, and adherence to hygiene rules. Rational glucocorticoid therapy is indicated due to the increasing incidence of atopic dermatitis. Means of secondary prevention include timely detection and treatment of diseases that cause atrophic processes.

Skin atrophy is a pathological condition in which physiological processes on the surface of the skin and in its deep layers slow down or completely stop. In the absence of proper treatment, the situation can greatly worsen, and dire consequences will arise.

What is skin atrophy?

This term, used in dermatology, combines a whole group of diseases. It is important to understand in detail the question of what atrophy is, because this pathological condition can occur at any age. And it occurs equally in both sexes. In medicine, the term “elastosis” is often used to identify such a disorder. This name perfectly reflects the processes occurring on the skin: the epidermis loses its former elasticity and becomes thinner. At the same time, the connective tissue degenerates.

There are several types of atrophy:

senile;
strip-shaped;
steroid;
spotted;
lipoatrophy;
idiopathic with a progressive nature;
poikiloderma;
neurotic;
Rothmund-Thomson syndrome
white.

According to the nature of the development of pathological changes, skin atrophy occurs:

diffuse;
disseminated;
local.

Skin atrophy - causes

This disorder may be based on physiological and pathological factors. The developing forms of atrophy directly depend on the reasons by which they are provoked.

More often, thinning of the skin on the hands and other parts of the body occurs due to:

diseases of the nervous system;
inflammatory processes provoked by fungi, viruses or pathogenic bacteria;
radiation injury;
genetic failure;
contact with aggressive chemical compounds;
long-term use of corticosteroids;
traumatic mechanical or thermal effects;
metabolic disorders;
excessive insolation.

Cicatricial skin atrophy and other types of elastosis are more often observed in the following groups of people:

elderly;
those who have hazardous working conditions;
genetically predisposed to the occurrence of such a disorder.

Atrophy occurs in two subtypes:

congenital;
acquired.

Steroid skin atrophy

This type of pathological change occurs with prolonged and unreasonable use of hormonal drugs. Glucocorticosteroids suppress the activity of enzymes responsible for the synthesis of protein and other substances on which the elasticity of the skin depends. In most cases, skin atrophy after hormonal ointments is local in nature.

It manifests itself as follows:

The skin becomes covered with small folds and becomes thinner (outwardly it becomes like papyrus paper).
This epidermis is easily injured, so it often shows signs of hemorrhage and scars.

Senile skin atrophy

This condition is provoked by age-related changes in the body. It is caused by a slowdown in metabolic processes, which makes tissues less adaptable to the effects of negative external and internal factors. More often, atrophy of the skin of the face and other parts of the body occurs in people over 70 years of age. However, sometimes strong age-related changes can be observed earlier, for example, at 50 years of age.

In this case, we are talking about premature aging, accompanied by the following signs:

thinning of the skin;
coloration of the cover in a grayish or brownish tint;
peeling;
formation of numerous folds.

Patchy skin atrophy

This disorder is also known as anetoderma. Although to this day the reasons for the development of this condition have not been precisely established, experts still identify a number of factors that increase the likelihood of the occurrence of pathology. These include stress, infectious diseases and hormonal disorders.

There are three types of atrophy:

Jadasson;
Pellisari;
Schwenninger-Buzzi.

Idiopathic atrophoderma Pasini Pierini

It is also called superficial scleroderma. Young women are more likely to develop this disorder. In most cases, atrophy of the affected skin is concentrated on the back or abdomen. The lesion may be single or multiple. It is large and colored brown.

The following causes of atrophy are identified:

infectious;
neurogenic;
immune.

Idiopathic progressive skin atrophy

This pathology has an infectious nature of development. Experts agree that the disorder occurs after the bite of a Borrelia-infected tick.

Factors that provoke the development of the disorder include:

failure in the functioning of the endocrine system;
injuries;
hypothermia.

Idiopathic atrophoderma goes through the following stages of development:

Initial– reporting and redness of certain areas of the body appear.
Atrophic– the affected area becomes thinner, dry and wrinkled.
Sclerotic- seals form.

Rothmund-Thomson syndrome

This is a genetic pathology. In other words, the cause of thinning skin is hereditary. Females are more likely to suffer from this disorder. At the same time, the newborn looks completely healthy. However, after about six months (in rare cases, after a couple of years), swelling and redness of certain areas appears on the skin. Later observed. At the same time, these children develop dental problems, hair loss and thinning nails.

Skin atrophy - treatment

When dealing with the disorder, complex therapy is considered particularly effective. If band-like skin atrophy or other pathological change is diagnosed, treatment is reduced to eliminating the cause that provoked the development of the disease. At the same time, the effect is exerted on the affected area (strengthening local immunity) and the body itself (strengthening the defense system). However, most forms of pathology, for example, white skin atrophy, are an irreversible process, so complete recovery is impossible.