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The Global Insight

What is punctate Keratoderma

Author

Mia Horton

Updated on March 26, 2026

Punctate palmoplantar keratoderma

What causes Keratoderma?

What causes palmoplantar keratoderma? Keratoderma may be inherited (hereditary) or, more commonly, acquired. The hereditary keratodermas are caused by a gene abnormality that results in abnormal skin protein (keratin). They may be inherited either by an autosomal dominant or autosomal recessive pattern.

Is Keratoderma cancerous?

Palmoplantar keratoderma (PPK) is a congenital or acquired disorder characterized by the abnormal thickening of the skin of the palms and soles. The thickening can present as a diffuse, focal or punctate pattern. It has been reported to be associated with internal malignancies such as lung and esophageal carcinomas.

How is punctate Keratoderma treated?

  1. Emollients.
  2. Keratolytics (eg, 6% salicylic acid in 70% propylene glycol)
  3. Topical retinoids.
  4. Topical vitamin D ointment (calcipotriol)
  5. Systemic retinoids (acitretin)

What is Keratoderma disease?

Palmoplantar keratoderma (PPK) is a group of skin conditions characterized by thickening of the skin on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. PPK can also be a feature of various underlying syndromes. In rare forms of PPK, organs other than the skin may also be affected.

Is Palmoplantar Keratoderma a disability?

Hypohidrosis-enamel hypoplasia-palmoplantar keratoderma-intellectual disability syndrome is a rare, genetic, syndromic intellectual disability disorder characterized by severe intellectual disability with significant speech and language impairment, hypohydrosis (often resulting in hyperthermia) with normal sweat gland …

How is acquired Keratoderma treated?

  1. Emollients.
  2. Keratolytic agents (e.g. 6% salicylic acid in 70% propylene glycol)
  3. Topical retinoids.
  4. Topical vitamin D ointment (calcipotriol)
  5. Oral retinoids (acitretin)

What is punctate PPK?

Punctate palmoplantar keratoderma (punctate PPK), or keratosis punctata, is a heterogeneous group of conditions characterized by small hyperkeratotic growths on the palms and soles. Many cases are inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion, although sporadic cases have also been reported. There is no sex predilection.

What causes punctate Keratoderma?

In most families, punctate palmoplantar keratoderma type 1 is caused by a mutation in the AAGAB gene . The gene is thought to play an important role in skin integrity. When the gene is not working properly, the skin clumps together, forming the bumps on the skin that are characteristic of the condition.

What is the cause of Tylosis?

Tylosis is a rare autosomal dominant disease caused by a mutation in TEC (tylosis with esophageal cancer), a tumor suppressor gene located on chromosome 17q25. Tylosis is associated with hyperkeratosis of the palms and soles (see the images below) and a high rate of esophageal SCC (40% to 90% by the age of 70 years).

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Which Palmoplantar Keratoderma PPK is associated with esophageal carcinoma?

Ninety percent of all esophageal cancer cases are ESCC and 20–30% of them have family history of esophageal cancer. The most clear defined hereditary predisposition associated with ESCC is palmoplantar keratoderma (PPK).

What is Papillon Lefevre syndrome?

Papillon-Lefèvre syndrome is characterized by the development of dry scaly patches of skin (hyperkeratosis) usually around the age of one to five years. These patches are usually confined to the undersides of the hands and feet, but may spread to the knees and elbows.

How many people have Pachyonychia congenita?

The number of patients worldwide who have pachyonychia congenita is estimated to be somewhere between 1,000 and 10,000 [1]. The International Pachyonychia Congenita Research Registry (IPCRR) reported 977 individuals with genetically confirmed pachyonychia congenita in January 2020 [1].

Is Palmoplantar Keratoderma painful?

Pain is a prominent symptom in hereditary palmoplantar keratodermas (PPKs). Pain in patients with PPK can be difficult to treat. Pain mechanisms in PPKs are poorly understood.

What is Transgrediens?

A rare, isolated, diffuse palmoplantar keratoderma disorder characterized by red-yellow, moderate to severe hyperkeratosis of the palms and soles, extending to the dorsal aspects of the hands, feet and/or wrists and involving the skin over the Achilles’ tendon (transgrediens), gradually worsening with age (progrediens) …

What is Epidermolytic Palmoplantar Keratoderma?

Epidermolytic palmoplantar keratoderma (EPPK; Vörner type) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by sharply circumscribed congenital thickening of the palms and soles (Fig. 5.34). Most patients have hyperhidrosis, which may lead to maceration and fissuring.

How do you treat keratosis punctata of the palmar creases?

Treatment options include topical keratolytics, emollients and occasionally systemic retinoids for severe cases. Systemic retinoids, such as etretinate, carry the risk of associated side effects such as hepatotoxicity.

What is keratosis palmaris?

Keratosis pilaris (ker-uh-TOE-sis pih-LAIR-is) is a common, harmless skin condition that causes dry, rough patches and tiny bumps, often on the upper arms, thighs, cheeks or buttocks. The bumps usually don’t hurt or itch. Keratosis pilaris is often considered a variant of normal skin.

What is vohwinkel syndrome?

Vohwinkel syndrome is a disorder with classic and variant forms, both of which affect the skin. In the classic form of Vohwinkel syndrome, affected individuals have thick, honeycomb-like calluses on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet (palmoplantar keratoses) beginning in infancy or early childhood.

What does Tylosis look like?

Symptoms of tylosis with esophageal cancer may include: Thickened, yellowish skin on the palms and soles of the feet (palmoplantar keratoderma) White patches on the tongue, cheek, or mouth (oral leukoplakia) Esophageal cancer.

Where are Tyloses found?

Tyloses form in xylem vessels of most plants under various conditions of stress and during invasion by most of the xylem-invading pathogens. Tyloses are overgrowths of the protoplast of adjacent living parenchymatous cells, which protrude into xylem vessels through pits (Fig. 6-8).

Is TOC hereditary?

Genetics. Tylosis esophageal cancer (TOC) is the only hereditary disease with a strong susceptibility to esophageal SCC. This autosomal dominant syndrome is characterized by palmoplantar keratoderma, oral and esophageal leukoplakia, and esophageal SCC.

What is Cohen's syndrome?

Collapse Section. Cohen syndrome is an inherited disorder that affects many parts of the body and is characterized by developmental delay, intellectual disability, small head size (microcephaly ), and weak muscle tone (hypotonia).

What is Cherubism disease?

Cherubism is a disorder characterized by abnormal bone tissue in the jaw. Beginning in early childhood, both the lower jaw (the mandible) and the upper jaw (the maxilla) become enlarged as bone is replaced with painless, cyst-like growths.

What is aggressive periodontitis?

Aggressive periodontitis is a destructive disease characterized by the following: the involvement of multiple teeth with a distinctive pattern of periodontal tissue loss; a high rate of disease progression; an early age of onset; and the absence of systemic diseases.

How common is pachyonychia congenita?

Although the prevalence of pachyonychia congenita is unknown, it is a rare disorder with several thousand people likely affected worldwide.

Is pachyonychia congenita curable?

Like most genodermatoses, no specific treatment or cure is known for pachyonychia congenita. Therapy is generally directed towards symptomatically improving the most bothersome manifestations of the disease and, because of the rarity of pachyonychia congenita, is based largely on anecdotal findings.

Is pachyonychia congenita contagious?

IS PC CONTAGIOUS? No. PC is not contaigious. You cannot ‘catch’ PC.

Is hyperkeratosis hereditary?

Epidermolytic hyperkeratosis is usually inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern. This means that one copy of a mutated gene is able to cause the disorder and can be inherited from either parent. If one parent is affected, each child has a 50% chance of inheriting the disease.

How many people have PPK?

Punctate Palmoplantar Keratoderma (PPK) often appears in adolescence with epidermal thickening of the palms and soles characterized as hyperkeratotic growths. PPK occurs in 1 in 100,000 people and is acquired or inherited in an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern.