Fibrosing panniculitis usually appears on hands and feet
Panniculitis is one of a group of medical conditions characterized by inflammation of fatty tissues under the skin. Fibrosing refers to the excessive fibrous tissue formation as a result of inflammation. The condition appears in both humans and animals.
Causes
The most typical causes of panniculitis are cold and trauma. Systemic causes are typically lupus, pancreatitis and scleroderma, the connective tissue disease.
Symptoms
Lumps, or nodules, appear beneath the skin. These are tender to the touch. Blisters on the skin are also characteristic of the condition. These are usually found on the hands and feet. Weight loss, fever and extreme tiredness may accompany these symptoms if the cause is systemic.
Diagnosis
A doctor can usually make a diagnosis simply from the visual evidence. They will usually confirm this by taking an excisional biopsy.
Treatment
There is no single treatment for fibrosing panniculitis, as its causes are diverse. Among the usual medications offered are non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs and corticosteroids. In severe cases, immunosuppressive agents and surgery are used.
Pfeifer-Weber-Christian Disease
This is a rare form of panniculitis characterised by recurrent inflammation of the subcutaneous fatty tissues in which the lumps or nodules are painful. This condition, known as Pfeifer-Weber-Christian disease, is thought to originate in the autoimmune system, but little is yet known about it.
Tags: fatty tissues, hands feet