AboutAmelia Yaussy Expertise I can answer questions about systemic scleroderma and live and internet resources to help you cope with this disease. I have personal experince with scleroderma, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, and Sjogren's Syndrome.
Experience I am a systemic scleroderma patient (12 years) and have been active in support online for nearly the same amount of time. I proposed the Usenet newsgroup alt.support.scleroderma and own the website ihavescleroderma.com.
Organizations I am a board member and volunteer for the Scleroderma Foundation, Ohio Chapter.
Publications Arthritis Today, Sept 1997, "A guide to the internet"
Education/Credentials International Webmasters Association, Web Technologies Certification
Awards and Honors Volunteer of the Year, Scleroderma Foundation, 2004; Advocacy Appreciation Award, Scleroderma Foundation, 2005
Expert: Amelia Yaussy Date: 7/25/2007 Subject: IPL and scleroderma
Question I have overlap connective tissue disease, including CREST. My symptoms are not severe and the scleroderma seems to be what I present with. I have red dots all over my face and have undergone a couple of IPL treatments, with 3 more to go in a series. What is the effect of IPL on someone with scleroderma? If it's contraindicated, why is it?
Answer Take this for what it's worth - I'm not a doctor and I've never had IPL. You don't say, but I assume the red dots you have on your face are telangiectasias, very common early in limited scleroderma (formerly called CREST) and late in diffuse scleroderma. I've never heard of IPL used to treat them - they are made up of tiny, damaged blood vessels, so I'm not sure how IPL would benefit them. I've heard of some laser treatments for them, but in my own experience with telangiectasias, they grow and spread over time, so I'm also not sure how much laser would help unless it's repeated (and repeated, and repeated...)
If you haven't already, you need to discuss this treatment with your rheumatologist. For my part, I would never do any procedure to increase the tightness of my skin. I risk that every day just by having scleroderma.
