Symptoms of scleroderma may include one or more of the following:

Raynaud's phenomenon (numbness, color changes and pain in cheeks, nose, ears, fingers and toes due to abnormal sensitivity to cold)

Joint pain, swelling, and stiffness of the fingers, hands, forearms, feet, lower legs, and face, (especially in the fingers and knees)

Thickening, hardening, and discoloration of the skin

Ulcers or lesions on fingers, face, tongue, and inner lining of the cheek

Shortness of breath and coughing

Digestive and gastrointestinal problems including difficulty swallowing, bloating, and abdominal pain

Sexual dysfunction

Dry eyes

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Five particular symptoms occasionally occur together and are clinically recognized as a variation of scleroderma called CREST syndrome. The term CREST stands for Calcinosis (painful calcium deposits under the skin), Raynaud's phenomenon (abnormal sensitivity to cold in the hands and feet), Esophageal dysfunction (problems with swallowing caused by internal scarring), Sclerodactyly (tightening of the skin on the fingers or toes) and Telangiectasia (lesions on the hands, palms, forearms, face, and lips).

Scleroderma is called both a rheumatic disease and a connective tissue disease. The term rheumatic disease refers to a group of conditions characterized by inflammation and/or pain in the muscles, joints, or fibrous tissue. A connective tissue disease is one that affects tissues such as skin, tendons, and cartilage.

An individual with scleroderma may develop either a localized or a systemic form of the disease. Localized scleroderma usually affects only the skin on the hands and face. Systemic scleroderma, however, affects the connective tissue in many parts of the body, including the skin, the esophagus, gastrointestinal tract, lungs, kidneys, heart, and other internal organs. It is unusual for localized scleroderma to progress to the systemic form.