Morphea on the abdomen of an African American woman. This is a rare skin condition that is characterised by painless white or reddish skin patches (plaques), oval to round in shape, which may measure several centimetres in diameter. The patches are hard and flat. They usually occur on the torso, neck, feet or hands. Morphea is a type of scleroderma of the skin, in which tissues harden. It most often affects middle-aged women. Morphea is a harmless skin disorder, but may be unsightly. There is no treatment.