Skin Blister Formation and Subepidermal Bullous Disorders

Blistering diseases comprise a large group of clinically polymorphic and sometimes devastating diseases. Blistering diseases are evaluated according to the level of the blister, the mechanism of blister formation and the type of inflammation. There are many connections in the normal structure of the skin that hold the cells together. These connections both hold the cells in the epidermis together and ensure that these cells attach to the basement membrane. As a result of damage to these connections by genetic, immune, infectious or physical reasons, intercellular connections are broken and blistering developments due to the accumulation of extracellular fluid in the intercellular spaces. Autoimmune bullous diseases are classified according to the decomposition site of the epidermis. While the pemphigus group is used to classify diseases with intraepidermal separation, the pemphigoid group diseases are used to classify diseases with subepidermal separation. In this section, pemphigoid group diseases, such as bullous pemphigoid, mucous membrane pemphigoid, acquired epidermolysis bullosa, linear IgA bullous dermatosis, and anti-p200 pemphigoid, will be explained with a brief introduction to blistering diseases of the skin.