Small-fibre neuropathies and skin: news and perspectives for dermatologists

Sensitive skin can be small fibre neuropathy: results from a case-control quantitative sensory testing study

“…These sensations are similar to those observed in small fibre neuropathies (SFNs) . SFNs are a group of disorders affecting thinly myelinated Aδ and unmyelinated C‐fibres .…”

“…Until recently, neurosensory dysfunction was suspected in SSS without any study to prove it . The alteration of small nerve fibres in SSS is suggested both by the wide variety of sensations described by the patients, including tingling, burning, sensation of heat, tautness, itching or pain, and by the increase of the DN4 and NPSI scores in our study.…”

Recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa results in painful small fibre neuropathy

“…Dermatological conditions in theory could affect epidermal innervation, increasing or decreasing its density (Misery et al , 2014). Indeed, histological observations have indicated that epidermal nerve fibres are present at higher densities in the skin of patients with itchy psoriasis (Nakamura et al , 2003; Taneda et al , 2011), lichenified atopic skin (Urashima and Mihara, 1998), photodamaged skin (Toyoda et al , 2005) and in a mouse model of xerosis (Tominaga et al , 2007), than in healthy individuals.…”

Abnormal sweating patterns associated with itching, burning and tingling of the skin indicate possible underlying small-fibre neuropathy

“…In many patients the neuropathy may be idiopathic. In the skin, several disease processes have been described as being associated with small‐fibre neuropathies, such as erythermalgia, prurigo nodularis, nummular eczema, burning mouth syndrome and sensitive skin …”