Bullous Diseases

This chapter discusses the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and management of bullous disorders in older adults, focusing on aging skin, comorbidities in older adults, and their influences on disease development and management. The chapter will discuss less common bullous diseases in older adults, such as staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, pemphigus vulgaris, bullosis diabeticorum, and linear IgA bullous dermatosis, as well as more common autoimmune bullous diseases such as bullous pemphigoid, epidermolysis bullosa acquisita, and paraneoplastic pemphigus. Also discussed are infectious causes of bullae such as herpes simplex, herpes zoster, and bullous impetigo. The chapter highlights considerations specific to older adults such as declining immune function, polypharmacy and medication effects, and nutritional impact on disease outcome.