by Lorraine Carter

Created on: August 11, 2011

Morphea is a disease that affects certain areas of the skin. It usually shows up as red or purple patch with a firm or tight white center on the stomach, chest or back making the skin less flexible. It is a form of localized scleroderma.  Although it usually affects the outermost layers of skin, it can cause problems with joints and muscles.

There are two types of Morphea, Chronic which lingers for a length of time, or recurrent, which comes and goes. In most cases Morphea will disappear on its own within a few years of development. The cause of Morphea is still unknown although many physicians believe that radiation treatment, repeated trauma to the area and infections like measles and chickenpox may be associated.

The main effect of Morphea besides discomfort is psychological and cosmetic. Some medications can be used to lighten and soften the areas of affected skin.  It also causes movement problems in the legs and arms that can be painful but usually clear up on their own.

There are many types of natural treatments that are suggested to treat this skin ailment. One that has been used quite often is para-aminobenzoic acid or PABA as it is referred to. Studies showed that this treatment did help to soften the skin and increase mobility in most patients; however side effects that showed up in a few patients included hepatitis.

Vitamin E is another natural treatment that has been used. Out of all the various forms of scleroderma, Morphea responded well to increased dosages of Vitamin E. Vitamin E was also applied topically along with the a daily supplement, and patients showed improvement and some completely cured within a few  months.

Studies done with high doses of Vitamin D2 did not show favorable results because of the toxicity associated with too much of this vitamin. The biological form of Vitamin D (dihydroxycholecalciferol) also known as Calcitriol did show some favorable results. Vitamin D2 has been studied as a treatment for Morphea also, with favorable results, but patients need to be monitored closely for signs of toxicity.

Evening Primrose has been shown to increase capillary blood flow, which promoted ulcer healing. It is believed that the gamma-linoleic acid content of Evening Primrose is the main reason it works. The only setback for this treatment is that it must be administered intravenously. They have not been able to produce an oral alternative.

Since it is believed that certain forms of scleroderma are auto-immune diseases, many physicians are advising their patients to make drastic changes in their diet. They are suggesting that they make sure to have the daily requirements of Vitamin E, selenium, beta-carotene and antioxidants. The suggested quantities are 1000 IU of Vitamin E, 25,000 IU of beta-carotene, and a multi-vitamin that has at least 50 micrograms of selenium, 15 milligrams of zinc, 1000 micrograms of Vitamin B12 and no more than 600 IU of Vitamin E.

As with any medical problem, follow the advice of the physician. Talk to the doctor about incorporating these increases in vitamins into your daily routine. Don’t forget to mention any other medical problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, anemia, heart or kidney conditions, or breathing problems like emphysema or asthma since getting too much of certain vitamins may affect these conditions.

Learn more about this author, Lorraine Carter.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.