A wide range of conditions can leave you with itchy, discolored, painful lesions. Anything from bug bites and allergic reactions to skin cancer. However, if you can’t trace your blisters or sores on one of the more common medical causes of such symptoms, you may need to get evaluated for an autoimmune disorder known as pemphigus.
Fortunately, most cases of pemphigus can respond well to modern treatment techniques from dermatologists and other medical specialists. Below lists answers to some frequently asked questions to bring yourself up to speed on this troublesome, but manageable, condition.
1. What Forms Can Pemphigus Take?
Pemphigus usually takes the form of sores and/or blisters that affect your skin and/or the mucous membranes. The most widespread form, pemphigus vulgaris, often makes its first appearance in the mouth, where it creates peeling blisters, before moving on to the genitals and other moist areas of one’s skin.
If you develop blisters on your chest, shoulders, or back, you may suffer from pemphigus foliaceus. Other, less common types of pemphigus include pemphigus vegetans (which creates wart-like lesions), pemphigus erythematosus (which can affect the face and scalp), and paraneoplastic pemphigus (which mainly affects cancer patients).
2. Why Does Pemphigus Strike Some Individuals?
Pemphigus counts as an autoimmune disorder, a condition in which the body’s immune system attacks healthy tissue instead of tumors or invading germs. In the case of pemphigus, these attacks focus on the proteins in skin cells creating a buildup of fluids that eventually take the form of blisters.
Genetic, inherited factors seem to play a role in pemphigus development. If you come from Indian, Jewish, Southeastern European, or Middle Eastern stock, you may have an elevated risk for the condition. Pemphigus vulgaris also occurs most commonly in people aged 30 to 60. Drugs such as penicillin can sometimes induce pemphigus.
3. What Problems Can Uncontrolled Pemphigus Cause?
People who struggle with pemphigus can experience a variety of lingering problems and complications if they let the disorder go unchecked. Painful, unsightly blisters can encourage depression, while mouth sores that interfere with eating may lead to serious malnutrition and significant weight loss.
Skin blisters and sores can provide an open doorway to bacteria. As a result, you may run an elevated risk for secondary skin infections. In the worst-case scenario, the bacteria can migrate from the skin into your bloodstream, potentially causing a dangerous condition called sepsis.
4. How Can Treatment Help You Manage Pemphigus?
Skin biopsies, blood tests, a general physical exam, and evaluation of your medical history can help your dermatologist tell a case of pemphigus apart from other skin conditions that might produce similar symptoms. Based on this data, you may receive any of several available treatment options.
The stage of your treatment may revolve around addressing acute inflammation and/or infections. Your dermatologist may prescribe corticosteroids, antibiotics, and other drugs to combat these problems. At the same time, you may start taking drugs that can suppress your overactive immune system or reduce your antibody count.
If your pemphigus doesn’t respond to these common remedies, you may need a more extensive kind of treatment called plasmapheresis. In this procedure, the doctor runs your blood through a machine, removing the plasma (which contains the antibodies that cause your outbreaks) and replacing it with donor plasma.
You can also get your pemphigus under better control by identifying any specific triggers that seem to make it worse. For instance, you may find that you need to switch from one medication to another or eliminate certain foods from your diet.
If you think you might suffer from pemphigus or a lookalike skin condition, schedule an appointment at Advanced Dermatology & Skin Cancer Specialists of Northern California. Our experienced team can evaluate your symptoms and prescribe the appropriate treatment strategies to help you feel better.
