Sarcoidosis – Overview

Sarcoidosis is a systemic disease of granulomatous inflammation that commonly affects the skin and I occasionally encounter this disease in both my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology offices.  Approximately, 25% of patients with Sarcoidosis have cutaneous involvement.  Commonly affected organ systems are the lungs, kidneys, heart, lymph nodes, eyes, bones, spleen, liver and central nervous systems.  Sarcoidosis is most common in young black women but can occur in any race and at any age.  The cutaneous findings are organized into two categories: specific lesions and non-specific lesions.  Specific lesions are those with actual Sarcoidosis granulomas on histology, whereas non-specific lesions are those such as erythema nodosum which are more a reactive process and unrevealing for Sarcoidosis on biopsy.  The cause of Sarcoidosis is unknown.