What causes Keratoderma
Rachel Hunter
Published Feb 26, 2026
What causes palmoplantar keratoderma? Keratoderma may be inherited (hereditary) or, more commonly, acquired. The hereditary keratodermas are caused by a gene abnormality that results in abnormal skin protein (keratin). They may be inherited either by an autosomal dominant or autosomal recessive pattern.
How do you get Keratoderma?
Palmoplantar keratoderma (PPK) can be either acquired during the lifetime (more commonly) or inherited . Acquired PPK may arise due to changes in a person’s health or environment. Inherited forms of PPK are caused by genetic mutations that result in abnormalities of keratin (a skin protein ).
Is Keratoderma cancerous?
Palmoplantar keratoderma (PPK) is a congenital or acquired disorder characterized by the abnormal thickening of the skin of the palms and soles. The thickening can present as a diffuse, focal or punctate pattern. It has been reported to be associated with internal malignancies such as lung and esophageal carcinomas.
Is Keratoderma contagious?
An autosomal dominant condition may occur for the first time in an affected individual due to a new mutation, or may be inherited from an affected parent. A person with punctate keratoderma has a 50% chance of passing on the condition to each of his or her children.How is acquired Keratoderma treated?
- Emollients.
- Keratolytic agents (e.g. 6% salicylic acid in 70% propylene glycol)
- Topical retinoids.
- Topical vitamin D ointment (calcipotriol)
- Oral retinoids (acitretin)
What is Howel Evans syndrome?
Howel-Evans syndrome, also known as Clarke-Howel-Evans-McConnell syndrome, is a rare genetic disorder characterized by nonepidermolytic palmoplantar keratoderma (NEPPK), oral leukoplakia, and an increased risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus.
Is palmoplantar keratoderma a disability?
Hypohidrosis-enamel hypoplasia-palmoplantar keratoderma-intellectual disability syndrome is a rare, genetic, syndromic intellectual disability disorder characterized by severe intellectual disability with significant speech and language impairment, hypohydrosis (often resulting in hyperthermia) with normal sweat gland …
Why is thick skin on palms?
Thick skin is present on the soles of the feet and palms of the hands. This is because these areas receive more friction than other areas of the body, and thicker skin helps to protect from potential damage. The epidermis of thick skin can be up to 1.5 mm .What is woolly hair syndrome?
Woolly Hair is an uncommon congenital anomaly of the scalp hair presenting with strongly coiled hair involving a localized area of the scalp or covering the entire side and occurring in non-black people. Isolated or localized wooly hair is usually benign and is not related to other disorders and/or complications.
What is Transgrediens?A rare, isolated, diffuse palmoplantar keratoderma disorder characterized by red-yellow, moderate to severe hyperkeratosis of the palms and soles, extending to the dorsal aspects of the hands, feet and/or wrists and involving the skin over the Achilles’ tendon (transgrediens), gradually worsening with age (progrediens) …
Article first time published onWhat is the cause of Tylosis?
Tylosis is a rare autosomal dominant disease caused by a mutation in TEC (tylosis with esophageal cancer), a tumor suppressor gene located on chromosome 17q25. Tylosis is associated with hyperkeratosis of the palms and soles (see the images below) and a high rate of esophageal SCC (40% to 90% by the age of 70 years).
What is Aquagenic Keratoderma?
Aquagenic keratoderma (AK) is a rare acquired skin condition characterized by recurrent and transient white papules and plaques associated with a burning sensation, pain, pruritus and/or hyperhidrosis on the palms and more rarely, soles triggered by sweat or contact with water.
Which Palmoplantar Keratoderma PPK is associated with esophageal carcinoma?
Ninety percent of all esophageal cancer cases are ESCC and 20–30% of them have family history of esophageal cancer. The most clear defined hereditary predisposition associated with ESCC is palmoplantar keratoderma (PPK).
Is Keratoderma hereditary?
Keratoderma may be inherited (hereditary) or, more commonly, acquired. The hereditary keratodermas are caused by a gene abnormality that results in abnormal skin protein (keratin). They may be inherited either by an autosomal dominant or autosomal recessive pattern.
Is Palmoplantar Keratoderma painful?
Pain is a prominent symptom in hereditary palmoplantar keratodermas (PPKs). Pain in patients with PPK can be difficult to treat. Pain mechanisms in PPKs are poorly understood.
What is palmaris et plantaris?
Pustulosis palmaris et plantaris (PPP) is a rare and chronic inflammatory condition that primarily affects the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. Signs and symptoms of the condition generally develop during adulthood and include crops of pustules on one or both hands and/or feet that erupt repeatedly over time.
What is Epidermolytic Palmoplantar Keratoderma?
Epidermolytic palmoplantar keratoderma (EPPK; Vörner type) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by sharply circumscribed congenital thickening of the palms and soles (Fig. 5.34). Most patients have hyperhidrosis, which may lead to maceration and fissuring.
What is Papillon Lefevre syndrome?
Papillon-Lefèvre syndrome is characterized by the development of dry scaly patches of skin (hyperkeratosis) usually around the age of one to five years. These patches are usually confined to the undersides of the hands and feet, but may spread to the knees and elbows.
What is keratosis Punctata?
Keratosis punctata of the palmar creases is a common skin disorder that occurs most often in black patients, with skin lesions that are 1 to 5mm depressions filled with a comedo-like keratinous plug. Treatment with etretinate has been described.
What is the inheritance pattern of Bloom syndrome?
Bloom syndrome is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern. This means that there is a mutation of both copies of the BLM gene in people with Bloom syndrome; and each parent carries one mutant copy and one normal copy. The causative gene has been mapped to chromosomal location 15q26.
Is TOC hereditary?
Genetics. Tylosis esophageal cancer (TOC) is the only hereditary disease with a strong susceptibility to esophageal SCC. This autosomal dominant syndrome is characterized by palmoplantar keratoderma, oral and esophageal leukoplakia, and esophageal SCC.
What is Naxos syndrome?
Naxos disease is a recessive association of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) with wooly hair and palmoplantar keratoderma or similar skin disorder.
How do I know if I have Uncombable hair syndrome?
Uncombable hair syndrome (UHS) is a rare disorder of the hair shaft of the scalp. It is usually characterized by silvery-blond or straw-colored hair that is disorderly; stands out from the scalp; and cannot be combed flat. It may first become apparent from 3 months of age to 12 years of age.
What are the characteristics of Williams syndrome?
Newborns with Williams syndrome have characteristic “elfin-like” facial features including an unusually small head (microcephaly), full cheeks, an abnormally broad forehead, puffiness around the eyes and lips, a depressed nasal bridge, broad nose, and/or an unusually wide and prominent open mouth.
Does thick skin have hair?
Dermis: Thick skin has a thinner dermis than thin skin, and does not contain hairs, sebaceous glands, or apocrine sweat glands. Thick skin is only found in areas where there is a lot of abrasion – fingertips, palms and the soles of your feet.
Which part of the body has the thickest skin?
Skin is thickest on the palms and soles of the feet (1.5 mm thick), while the thinnest skin is found on the eyelids and in the postauricular region (0.05 mm thick).
What disease causes thickening of the skin?
Scleroderma (sklair-oh-DUR-muh) is a group of rare diseases that involve the hardening and tightening of the skin and connective tissues. Scleroderma affects women more often than men and most commonly occurs between the ages of 30 and 50.
What is Transgrediens PPK?
Transgrediens et progrediens palmoplantar kera- toderma (PPK), also known as Greither’s disease, is a rare entity that was originally described in 1952. 1 It is characterized by diffuse keratoderma of the palms and soles that extends to the dorsal aspects of the hands and feet, with erythematous borders.
What is Keratoderma Climactericum?
Keratoderma climactericum is a type of acquired palmoplantar keratoderma. 2. Lesions of keratoderma climactericum begin as round or oval-shaped hyperkeratotic patches that initially develop on the palms and soles, especially around the heels.
How is keratosis Punctata treated?
Treatment includes keratolytics, topical salicylic acid, mechanical debridement, excision, and topical and systemic retinoids. Punctate keratosis of the palmar creases occurs most commonly in African American patients aged 15-40 years.
What does Tylosis look like?
Symptoms of tylosis with esophageal cancer may include: Thickened, yellowish skin on the palms and soles of the feet (palmoplantar keratoderma) White patches on the tongue, cheek, or mouth (oral leukoplakia) Esophageal cancer.