How does bullous pemphigoid develop?
In bullous pemphigoid antibodies mistakenly attack healthy membranes of the skin causing blisters that do not heal. The blisters commonly develop on the limbs and face. A chronic disease, bullous pemphigoid is characterized by periods of severe flair ups then partial remission. Some patients, however, experience complete remission after 6 to 10 years. Some patients with bullous pemphigoid have other autoimmune diseases such diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis. Certain lifestyle and environmental factors reportedly play a role in triggering bullous pemphigoid. These include drugs (furosemide, penicillin), mechanical trauma and physical traumas (burns from radiation, sun or heat). About 15 to 20 percent of people with bullous pemphigoid also develop blisters in the mouth or esophagus. What are the symptoms of bullous pemphigoid? Bullous pemphigoid most often shows itself in hard, tight blisters on the skin. The skin around the blisters may appear normal, but can be red and swollen or infli
