It is not contagious, so you can't catch it from someone or give it to anyone. It is not inherited or passed on from one generation to the next, except in rare instances. We do know that in scleroderma the body produces too much of a protein called collagen. This excess collagen is deposited in the skin and in body organs. This causes thickening and hardening of the skin and affects the function of internal organs.
Scientists think the body's immune system plays a part in causing excess collagen deposits.
The immune system, your body's natural defense against disease, normally develops antibodies. But sometimes the antibodies attack the body's healthy tissue instead. This abnormal process is called an autoimmune reaction. We know that the small blood vessels are damaged in scleroderma. There may be a connection between the build-up of excess collagen and blood vessel changes.