The major symptom of mucous membrane pemphigoid is the development of painful blistering that causes redness, swelling, and breakdown of the mucous membranes, eventually forming open sores (ulcers). As they heal, these ulcers may cause scars to form in the affected area. People rarely see actual blisters, and typically they see only the raw, worn away areas.
In the mouth, blistering typically involves the gums and anywhere along the lining of the mouth. The inside of the cheeks, the gums, and roof of the mouth are red and sore. Wearing down of the mucous membranes causes ulcers that burn or sting.
In other mucous membranes, such as in the nose, down the throat, or on the surface of the genitals and anus, the ulcers heal, often with scarring. Scarring can cause the lining of the esophagus (the tube that connects the throat to the stomach) to become narrow, which makes swallowing difficult.
In some people with mucous membrane pemphigoid, actual blisters form on the skin. They tend to appear on the scalp, face, trunk, or limbs. The skin typically scars once the blisters heal.
In the eyes, mucous membrane pemphigoid develops differently. Blisters do not form, but both eyes are red and sore and later become dry. The conjunctiva (the membrane that lines the eyelid and covers the white of the eye) can shrink and scar (see also symptoms of ocular mucus membrane pemphigoid). In severe cases, blindness may occur.
