A Member of the University of Maryland Medical System | In Partnership with the University of Maryland School of Medicine
India rubber skin
Hyperelastic skin is skin that can be stretched beyond what is considered normal, and then returns to normal.
Hyperelasticity occurs when there is a problem with the production of collagen fibers. Collagen is a type of protein that makes up much of the body's tissue.
Hyperelastic skin is most often seen in the Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. People with this disorder are sometimes referred to as rubber men or women because of the increased elasticity of their skin and joints that can be bent more than is normally possible.
Other diseases that may cause easily stretchable skin include:
Islam MP, Roach ES. Neurocutaneous syndromes. In: Bradley WG, Daroff RB, Fenichel GM, Jankovic J, eds. Neurology in Clinical Practice. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Butterworth-Heinemann; 2008:chap 69.
Morelli JG. Diseases of the dermis. In: Kliegman RM, Behrman RE, Jenson HB, Stanton BF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 658.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).
© 2011 University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC). All rights reserved.
UMMC is a member of the University of Maryland Medical System,
22 S. Greene Street, Baltimore, MD 21201. TDD: 1-800-735-2258 or 1.866.408.6885