Signs Of Parry-Romberg Syndrome

Parry-Romberg syndrome is an acquired, rare disorder that occurs when half of the face slowly atrophies and shrinks. There have been rare cases in which both facial sides have been affected. In some individuals, there's also atrophy in the limbs on the side of the body with the facial atrophy. The severity of symptoms varies widely from person to person. It's possible additional symptoms will occur, such as abnormalities in neurology, or abnormalities regarding the teeth or eyes. The syndrome most commonly occurs within the first decade or two of an individual's life, although it is possible for it to occur in adults as well. The disease's exact cause is currently unknown, and it appears to happen randomly for reasons not understood right now. Individuals will rarely have all associated symptoms, but will typically have at least some.

Alopecia

Alopecia areata is a name for an autoimmune disease that attacks the hair follicles. Autoimmune diseases occur when an individual's immune system mistakenly identifies the body as a threat and attacks it. When the hair follicles are attacked, the hair begins to fall out. Often, it comes out in clumps about the shape and size of a quarter. Different individuals lose different amounts of hair. Some lose a great deal of hair, while others only lose hair in a few places.

Alopecia doesn't have a cure, but there are treatments. It's possible that hair will grow back. A doctor might recommend medications to help suppress the immune system, which will prevent the same drastic hair loss. If you lose a lot of hair, topical immunotherapy might be recommended. Basically, doctors induce an allergic reaction with chemicals, which then triggers the hair to begin regrowing. Rogaine is another common treatment already marketed to help with pattern baldness.

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Hyperpigmentation

Hyperpigmentation is a relatively common condition that can occur alongside Parry-Romberg syndrome. When the condition occurs, small patches of skin begin to be darker-colored than the surrounding skin. This condition occurs across all races and skin types. In many cases, the pigmentation happens as a result of sun damage. Melasma spots look similar in appearance to the solar-induced spots, but they typically occur due to changes in hormones. It's common for pregnancy to make the body overproduce melanin. When darkened skin patches are exposed to sunlight, they may become more pronounced or darker. This occurs when the melanin absorbs ultraviolet radiation to protect against burns and skin cancer. If you're trying to reduce overly pigmented skin, wear sunscreen at all times. Just one instance of overexposure to sunlight might undo your treatment.

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Vitiligo

Vitiligo is a less common skin disease. Individuals with this affliction tend to lose their skin color in increasing blotches. The rate and extent of color loss tend to be unpredictable. Any portion of the body can be affected, as can the hair and interior of the mouth. The disease occurs when melanin-producing cells cease to function or die altogether. It's possible for vitiligo to occur across all skin types and races, but it tends to be more pronounced when individuals have darker skin. It's not a contagious or life-threatening condition, but it may occur alongside Parry-Romberg syndrome. Sometimes undergoing treatment helps restore color to the skin affected, but it won't prevent a recurrence or the continued color loss. While this condition can occur at any time, it's similar to Parry-Romberg syndrome in that it typically occurs before age twenty. Different types of the disorder can cause the patches to cover a great deal of your body, only one area of the body, or just a few areas.

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Seizures

As mentioned, Parry-Romberg syndrome can sometimes cause neurological conditions in addition to the facial atrophy. Seizures may occur in certain individuals. Numerous studies have shown a link between Parry-Romberg syndrome and epilepsy. Epilepsy tends to be one of the most frequent neurological conditions that occur. The type of epilepsy tends to be focal refractory, which is caused by lesions in the brain. These lesions occur on the same side of the body with the facial atrophy. It's possible that as the Parry-Romberg syndrome progresses, the lesions will also progress, leading to more seizures and other potential neurological complications. Though additional research needs to be done on the link between the two, researchers believe the correlation might be caused by a form of vascular dysgenesis.

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Severe Facial Pain

Severe facial pain also tends to occur as the disease progresses. The pain is typically localized to the side experiencing the atrophy. There are medical and surgical ways to manage the disease, although some of them haven't yet been fully researched. A surgical fat transfer can sometimes help the face have a more normal contour. When the atrophy and volume defects are severe, though, it might be necessary to use microsurgical reconstructive surgery. When the deformities are particularly severe, they might require additional help like bone grafts, cartilage grafts, or orthognathic surgery. Some surgeons recommend intervening early, while others say they should wait until the disease has stopped progressing.