The Ichthyoses are a family of skin diseases with the shared characteristic that each causes the skin to build up and scale. The degree of scaling can vary, from mild dry skin to severe heavy scaling. Ichthyosis scaling can be very painful, can restrict the body's range of movement, cause deep cracks or fissures at the joints, and affect hearing. Some say it can be inherited or acquired. In a typical case, the skin is dry and rough, with small grayish brown scales, usually found on the exterior surfaces of the limbs.
Ichthyosis involves development of dry, scaly skin.
It is usually most severe over the legs but may also involve the arms, hands, and trunk in some cases. It is usually associated with many fine lines over the palm of the hand and the condition is often more noticeable in the winter. With the exception of Ichthyosis Vulgaris, Ichthyosis is a very rare disease. Your skin is your body's largest organ. The normal skin cycle is renewing, dying and shedding - with the average skin cell lifespan being 14 days.