What is cutis laxa?
Cutis laxa refers to a group of inherited or acquired disorders with a common finding of lax, redundant skin. One AD form is due to a mutation of the fibulin-5 gene (FBLN-5), while another is secondary to an elastin (ELN) mutation. The skin may appear wrinkled, aged, or sagging in loose folds but is not associated with bruising or scarring. The skin appears to have lost elasticity and does not recoil when stretched. In EDS, the skin recoils. Cardiopulmonary manifestations may occur, including bronchiectasis and emphysema, as well as aortic aneurysms. There is no abnormality of skin fragility with bleeding, so surgery is safely performed (again, unlike EDS).
