Blistering Diseases – Cicatricial Pemphigoid

Cicatricial Pemphigoid is a rare skin blistering disease that I rarely encounter in both my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology offices.  Also called benign mucosal pemphigoid, Cicatricial Pemphigoid is differentiated from other blistering diseases as it causes scarring of the skin and other organs it involves.  Clinically, Cicatricial Pemphigoid begins as flaccid bullae (blisters) that rupture easily and result in skin ulcers.  The mucosal membranes are the most commonly affected area as patients develop oral and ocular lesions.  Blindness may result from severe ocular lesions.  Only 25% of patients with Cicatricial Pemphigoid develop skin lesions.  In most patients, Cicatricial Pemphigoid does not go into spontaneous remission.  The underlying etiology is autoimmune antibodies attacking the dermoepidermal junction and treatment is immunosuppression.