Signs And Symptoms Of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome

Thin Skin

Vascular EDS patients may not present with all of the classic Ehlers-Danlos syndrome symptoms. It's uncommon for them to have the same stretchy skin as a classic EDS patient, although they might have thin skin. The veins are often visible running beneath the skin, especially on the patient's chest and abdomen. Vascular patients may also have hands and feet that look like they have aged because of their skin's premature aging. Thin skin is also a defining characteristic of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome for patients with the classic hypermobile form of the illness. The body does not stimulate enough collagen production to create all the required layers of skin, so rather than being somewhat thick and shape-retaining like collagen-enriched skin, EDS patients have skin that's far more similar to paper in appearance.

In both of these cases of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, patients have their connective tissues affected. For classic EDS patients, the papery-looking skin might fold rather than snapping back when stretched, which sometimes results in a crinkly appearance. This can contribute to the aged look of hands and feet.