What is Graves dermopathy or Pretibial Myxedema?
Pretibial myxedema is a skin condition that may develop in patients with Graves disease. It is characterized by thickening of a layer of tissue that lies directly beneath the surface of skin called the dermis. The word pretibial refers to the fact that this thickening usually involves the skin that covers the front of the tibia bone in the lower leg. Other terms used to identify this disorder include localized myxedema and thyroid dermopathy. Pretibial myxedema usually becomes evident when raised lesions begin to appear on the skin that covers the front surfaces of the shins. These lesions are usually light in color, though they may darken over time. They are usually painless, though they may occasionally cause some itching. Hair follicles in these lesions may become very prominent, giving the overlying skin an appearance and texture that resembles an orange peel. Increased perspiration may also be noted. In most cases of pretibial myxedema, continued growth of lesions leads to widespr
