
Look for rich creams that have any of these ingredients: lanolin, alpha hydroxy acids, urea, or propylene glycol.
X LINKED ICHTHYOSIS SKIN
Rub cream, lotion, or ointment onto your skin every day to add moisture. It can't be cured, but treatments can help you manage dry and scaly skin. Test your saliva for gene changes that cause certain types of ichthyosis.Take a sample of skin to check under a microscope.

If the dryness and scaling bother you, see a dermatologist - a doctor who treats skin problems - for treatment. Sometimes it’s so mild that it looks like regular dry skin. Vision loss from damage to the cornea (the clear layer in the front of the eye).Men with ichthyosis are also at increased risk for: People with this condition sometimes feel depressed and have low self-esteem. Ichthyosis can cause emotional issues, too. Burning more calories, because the skin has to work harder to turn over cells.Slow hair growth from scales on the scalp.Blocked sweat glands, which can lead to overheating.Scaling can lead to complications such as: When ichthyosis makes pieces of your skin scale off, you lose some of this protective layer. It holds moisture inside and keeps out bacteria and other invaders that might make you sick. Many people with ichthyosis also have eczema, a red, itchy rash. Lines on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.They might have thick or thin cracks running through them.ĭryness and scaling get worse in cold, dry weather. The scales can be white, gray, or dark brown. The scales form on only some parts of the body, such as the: In the inherited forms, symptoms appear at birth or in the first few months of life.ĭry, scaly skin is the main symptom. Nicotinic acid, which is used to treat high cholesterol.Cancer drugs such as hydroxyurea ( Droxia, Hydrea), protease inhibitors (a group of drugs used to treat HIV infections), and vemurafenib ( Zelboraf).Some medicines might also trigger the condition: Sarcoidosis, a rare disease that causes patches of inflammation inside the body.Doctors don’t know what causes it, but people with it often have other conditions, including: If both of your parents have the gene, you’re likely to have a more serious condition than if only one of them has the gene.Īcquired ichthyosis shows up in adulthood. Ichthyosis usually shows up in early childhood. They also affect how quickly your body sheds or grows new skin cells.

Ichthyosis gene mutations affect the proteins that protect your skin and keep it moist. When there are changes or mutations to a gene, it can cause disease.

Genes are the codes that tell your body to make proteins, which determine how your body looks and functions. That means it’s passed down to you from your parents. Inherited ichthyosis is a genetic condition. Women can be carriers and may have labor problems. It can raise your risk for testicular cancer. It affects about 1 out of 6,000 people, but only males. Gray, brown, or white scales can show up in early childhood. It affects about 1 out of every 250 people. Others cause problems inside the body, too. Some types only cause dry and scaly skin. Ichthyosis can't be cured, but treatments can relieve the scaling and make you feel more comfortable. This leads to a buildup of thick, scaly skin. They also make new skin cells too quickly or shed old cells too slowly. People with this condition lose the protective barrier that keeps moisture in their skin. You might also hear it called fish scale or fish skin disease. The condition gets its name from the Greek word for fish, because the skin looks like fish scales. Ichthyosis is a group of about 20 skin conditions that cause skin dryness and scaling.
