Dupuytren’s disease is a condition of abnormal scar thickening involving the skin and deeper tissues of the hand and fingers.
In its mildest form, Dupuytren's appears as thickened lumps under the skin, usually in the palm of the hand. In its more severe form, it can result in cords of scar tissue causing contracture of the fingers.
The condition is basically hereditary, which means that it is transferred from generation to generation, although it may be minimally noticeable in one generation but quite severe in the next. This may account for times where there is no family history of problems.
There is some evidence to suggest that heavy alcohol intake, diabetes and epilepsy (and its treatment) may accelerate the development of this condition, but it is important to bear in mind that they do not cause it. Nor has it been shown that trauma or chronic use of the hand in manual activities causes the condition.