Anetoderma is a skin condition caused by the abnormal loss of skin elasticity, resulting in flaccid pockets of skin that can be caused by other conditions. The cause is unknown, and there is no effective treatment. Lesions are usually limited to the appearance of skin lesions, which can develop in various areas of the body.
Anetoderma, also called macular atrophy or macular atrophic dermatitis, is a benign skin condition that occurs due to an abnormal loss of skin elasticity. This loss of skin elasticity causes a swollen pocket of skin to form that is flaccid enough to give in to finger pressure. This skin condition is slightly more common in women, and most people with this condition are between the ages of twenty and forty.
In some cases, the appearance of lesions occurs after the development of a nonspecific inflammatory skin condition. Secondary anetoderma, which is caused by another drug condition, has a wide range of causes. These lesions can develop due to acne, B-cell lymphoma, lupus erythematosus, sarcoidosis, tuberculosis, syphilis and many other diseases.
Why these skin lesions develop is unknown. It is also not known whether the non-specific inflammatory skin condition that occurs in some people causes the lesion to develop or is simply an associated condition. One explanation for the development of these skin lesions is that the production of elastin, a fibrous protein that gives skin its elastic quality, becomes defective in discrete areas of the skin. This defect leads to the production of skin that lacks the elastic quality and forms pouch-like skin lesions.
Symptoms are usually limited to the appearance of skin lesions; the condition causes no other signs or symptoms. It is common for many lesions to appear at the same time, with common sites including the upper arms, upper body and thighs. It is less common for lesions to develop on the neck and face. The lesions are usually small, with regular borders, and tend to be blue or grayish-white in color.
Once the lesions develop, they generally do not change in size, color, or anything else. New lesions may continue to develop over time after the first lesions appear. In advanced stage anetoderma, hundreds of lesions can develop, to the extent that closely spaced patches of lesions can coalesce into a large, raised skin formation.
There is no treatment for this skin condition. Medications such as steroids and vitamin E, often used in the treatment of skin disorders, have proven ineffective in this case. When only a small number of lesions are present, they can be removed surgically; however, in cases where there are many injuries, this is not a practical option due to the extent of surgery that would be required.
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