Causes Of Calcinosis Cutis

Calcinosis cutis is a rare disease involving the buildup of calcium salt crystals under the skin's surface. Sometimes this condition is symptomless, but it can also cause pain. Treatment sometimes consists of surgery, but the calcium salt crystals have a high rate of recurrence. There are five different kinds of calcinosis cutis: dystrophic calcification, metastatic calcification, idiopathic calcification, iatrogenic calcification, and calciphylaxis. Each of these subtypes has a few different potential causes, and the way the calcium buildup looks depends on the cause. However, one of them, idiopathic calcification, has no known cause.

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Systemic Sclerosis

Systemic sclerosis is also called scleroderma. It is an autoimmune connective tissue disease. In this disease, the immune system attacks connective tissue in the skin, muscles, blood vessels, and several other parts of the body. Systemic sclerosis causes the body to make too much collagen, and the excess collagen causes problems with the skin, one of which is calcinosis cutis. This condition usually causes dystrophic calcification. When the skin tissue is damaged by the disease, it gives off phosphate proteins. These proteins go through a calcification process and lead to calcinosis cutis, which often appears around the elbows or the fingers. Some scleroderma patients have a subtype of the disease called CREST syndrome, which increases the risk of developing calcinosis cutis.

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Chronic Kidney Failure

Metastatic calcification and calciphylaxis can both be caused by chronic kidney failure. Ongoing kidney failure can be a complication of diabetes or hypertension that is not treated properly. The kidneys are essential organs that filter the blood and help the body get rid of waste. They also play an important role in regulating minerals and electrolytes in the blood, including calcium. Chronic kidney failure causes calcium levels to build up in the body, leading to calcinosis cutis as the calcium crystallizes and gets deposited in the skin. Kidney failure is diagnosed through blood tests, biopsies, and scans. It can be treated to prevent complications, but it cannot be cured.

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