How Lupus Affects Your Skin
If you have lupus, you're likely to have skin issues at some point, but treatment can bring relief.
Your doctor will likely prescribe an ointment, such as a steroid cream or gel, to clear up the problems. Sometimes steroid shots are used.
Skin Care Tips for Lupus
Skin changes are common when you have lupus, but you don't have to let them get the best of you. Medical treatment can get rid of some. You can also protect your skin and use cover-up tricks to make them less visible.
Read the Skin Care Tips for Lupus article > >
You can also help prevent skin reactions, too. The best way is to use sunscreen to protect yourself from the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays.
You can have skin lupus with or without having full-blown systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the most common kind of lupus. Be on the lookout for some of these rashes that can be caused by skin lupus:
Butterfly rash: Called a "malar" rash, this may spread over your nose and cheeks in the shape of a butterfly.
The butterfly rash can be just a faint blush or a very severe, scaly rash. The sun's UV rays can trigger it and make it worse.
Sores and rashes. Some may be coin-shaped (called discoid lupus). Or you may develop red, scaly patches or a red, ring-shaped rash, especially where your skin gets sun or other UV light.
The sores get worse without treatment. They usually don't itch or hurt, but they can cause scarring. If this happens on your scalp, you may get patches of long-term baldness.
Small, red, coin-shaped sores. These are caused by exposure to the sun's UV rays and are called subacute cutaneous lesions. They'll likely appear on your arms, shoulders, neck, or upper torso in patches, like psoriasis.
They don't cause scarring, but they can darken or lighten the skin where they appear.
Lupus may also cause skin problems in areas such as your mouth, scalp, lower legs, and fingers. Here are some skin changes to watch out for:
Mucous membrane lesions. These are sores in the mouth or nose.
Hair loss. In some cases, your immune system may destroy hair follicles and make hair fall out for a time. New hair may sometimes grow in.
A severe lupus flare can also make your hair fragile and brittle. This is most likely around the edge of your scalp.
Your doctor will likely prescribe an ointment, such as a steroid cream or gel, to clear up the problems. Sometimes steroid shots are used.
Recommended Related to Lupus
Skin Care Tips for Lupus
Skin changes are common when you have lupus, but you don't have to let them get the best of you. Medical treatment can get rid of some. You can also protect your skin and use cover-up tricks to make them less visible.
Read the Skin Care Tips for Lupus article > >
You can also help prevent skin reactions, too. The best way is to use sunscreen to protect yourself from the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays.
Skin Changes From Lupus
You can have skin lupus with or without having full-blown systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the most common kind of lupus. Be on the lookout for some of these rashes that can be caused by skin lupus:
Butterfly rash: Called a "malar" rash, this may spread over your nose and cheeks in the shape of a butterfly.
The butterfly rash can be just a faint blush or a very severe, scaly rash. The sun's UV rays can trigger it and make it worse.
Sores and rashes. Some may be coin-shaped (called discoid lupus). Or you may develop red, scaly patches or a red, ring-shaped rash, especially where your skin gets sun or other UV light.
The sores get worse without treatment. They usually don't itch or hurt, but they can cause scarring. If this happens on your scalp, you may get patches of long-term baldness.
Small, red, coin-shaped sores. These are caused by exposure to the sun's UV rays and are called subacute cutaneous lesions. They'll likely appear on your arms, shoulders, neck, or upper torso in patches, like psoriasis.
They don't cause scarring, but they can darken or lighten the skin where they appear.
Other Skin Issues
Lupus may also cause skin problems in areas such as your mouth, scalp, lower legs, and fingers. Here are some skin changes to watch out for:
Mucous membrane lesions. These are sores in the mouth or nose.
Hair loss. In some cases, your immune system may destroy hair follicles and make hair fall out for a time. New hair may sometimes grow in.
A severe lupus flare can also make your hair fragile and brittle. This is most likely around the edge of your scalp.
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