Ichthyosis is a group of skin disorders that cause dry, scaly skin that can be thickened or very thin. It is usually something that a person is born with, but it can also happen later in life. There are more than 30 distinct types of ichthyosis, and most people have a genetic form of ichthyosis that results from a changed gene, often inherited from their parents. However, some people develop a form of acquired (nongenetic) ichthyosis from another medical disorder or certain medications.
The symptoms of ichthyosis can range from mild to severe, and they can include dry, itchy skin that appears scaly, rough, and red. Depending on the type of ichthyosis, other symptoms may include blistered skin, hair loss or fragile hair, difficulty hearing, thickening of the skin on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet, and inability to perspire (sweat) because skin scales clog the sweat glands. Ichthyosis can also affect internal organs in some forms of the disease.
Most types of ichthyosis cannot be cured, but there are treatments available to help manage the symptoms. Treatments may include moisturizing treatments (emollients), such as lotions, creams, ointments, and bath oils, and peeling creams, such as salicylic acid. For more severe ichthyosis symptoms, treatment can also include antibiotics to treat or prevent skin infections.
Ichthyosis can be diagnosed by identifying the gene mutation, inheritance pattern through analyzing family trees, symptoms, including their severity and which organs they affect, and age when symptoms first appeared. Most forms of ichthyosis are very rare, and the genetic mutation that causes the disorder is passed from parent to child. In some cases, however, neither parent exhibits the disorder themselves, but they are carriers of the defective gene. When two carriers pass their mutated gene on to a new life, the child will inherit the disorder.
