Which disease causes decreased elasticity of the skin?

• A. Diabetes mellitus
• B. Cushing's
• C. Hypothyroidism
• D. Addison's disease

Answer: (B)

Decreased elasticity of the skin is most strongly associated with excess glucocorticoids, which inhibit collagen synthesis and promote breakdown of dermal connective tissue. This leads to thinner, more fragile skin that lacks its normal springiness, along with features like easy bruising and widened, violaceous striae. That pattern points to Cushing's disease, where cortisol levels are chronically elevated.

Diabetes mellitus can affect the skin with infections or delayed healing, but it does not typically produce the characteristic loss of skin elasticity. Hypothyroidism can cause dry, coarse skin and sometimes thickened appearance due to mucopolysaccharide deposition (myxedema), rather than reduced elasticity. Addison's disease affects skin color and volume more than elasticity.