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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staff
Ichthyosis vulgaris is characterized by:
- Very dry, scaly skin.
- Tile-like scales that are small, polygonal in shape.
- Scales that range in color from white to dirty gray to brown. People with darker skin tend to have darker colored scales.
- Flaky scalp.
- In severe cases, deep painful cracks in the palms and soles.
The scales usually appear on the elbows and lower legs and may be especially thick and dark over the shins. Though most cases of ichthyosis are mild, some can be severe.
Symptoms usually worsen or are more pronounced in cold, dry environments and tend to improve or even resolve in warm, humid environments.
Other less common forms of ichthyosis include:
- Lamellar ichthyosis. This severe form of the disease is present at birth and lasts throughout life. Infants with lamellar ichthyosis are born encased in a filmy membrane that's shed after 10 to 14 days, revealing skin that's covered in scales. The scales can range from fine and white to thick and dark and generally occur over the entire body, although they may be larger on the legs. Lamellar ichthyosis can be extremely disfiguring and may cause great psychological suffering for children and adults with the disease.
- X-linked ichthyosis. Starting soon after birth, this type of ichthyosis occurs only in males. The noticeable, dirty-brown scales that characterize this skin disease are most pronounced on the back of the neck, arms and behind the knees. Symptoms generally don't improve with age.
- Epidermolytic hyperkeratosis. This extremely rare form of ichthyosis is usually present at birth and begins with blistering skin. In time, the skin peels away in large sheets and becomes rough or wart-looking. It's most pronounced on the knees, elbows, wrists and other flexural areas.
