Cuteneous lupus erythematosus and skin disease

Although autoimmune diseases are not that common, lupus is an autoimmune disease that affects many. Autoimmune diseases are difficult to treat because the body’s immune systems starts attacking the healthy cells and muscles instead of fighting foreign bodies like virus and bacteria. So, it becomes really difficult for a patient suffering from lupus to become completely disease free. However, it is possible for a lupus sufferer to lead a normal life as this disease can be controlled with proper medical attention

There are four types of lupus and almost all of them have one common symptom and that is skin rash. Almost two third of the people will develop some sort of skin rash or lesion as a result of this autoimmune disease. Although the most common type of lupus is the systematic lupus erythematosus, lupus rash is more prominent in case of cuteneous lupus erythematosus. Here cuteneous means skin. This form of lupus is limited to the skin and does not affect other major body organs like heart, kidneys and livers. A patient suffering from cuteneous lupus erythematosus can have different types of lupus rash and lesions. However, the most common type is red, scaly and raised. This type of lupus rash infection does not itch. This type of lupus rash is also known as discoid rash as it resembles a round disc or circle. Another common type of lupus rash is the butterfly rash. This type of rash covers the cheek and the nose and looks more like a butterfly. Other parts of the body may also have lesions and rashes including the face, neck, shoulder and scalp. However, lupus skin rash is more common to the areas that are exposed to sunlight or fluorescent light. If the rash is on the scalp, it may cause the person to lose hair.

Living with cuteneous lupus can be very challenging for the patient. Any outside activity during the day can make the lupus rash worse. So, it will not only affect the patient’s health condition but also decrease his or her self confidence. However, this form of lupus will not cause any severe health concern for the patient. The main problem lies elsewhere. Almost 10 percent of the patients with cuteneous lupus will develop systematic lupus erythematosus in the future. And systematic lupus can affect major internal organs.

What are the different types of Lupus?

Now cuteneous lupus can be of 3 different types based on their severity. The three forms are: acute cuteneous lupus erythematosus, sub-acutecuteneous lupus erythematosus and chronic cuteneous lupus erythematosus. Chronic lupus is also known as discoid lupus mainly because of the shape of the lupus skin disease The rashes and sores mainly appear on the face and scalp. As mentioned before, there is a chance that people suffering from cuteneous lupus will develop systematic lupus. However, it may also be the case that the patient was already suffering from systematic lupus and the itchy rash was a symptom of that. So, it is very important to check with your doctor to see if you have only cuteneous lupus or systematic lupus. Discoid lupus irritation can be sensitive to light. So, you must take preventive measure during an outbreak. Try to avoid outside activities and if you must go out use lots of sunscreen.

Acute cuteneous lupus mainly appears when a patient is suffering from systematic lupus outbreak. Malar rash is the most common symptom of this form of lupus. This itchy skin infection looks more like sunburn and can look like a butterfly when it affects both cheek and the nose. Hence the name butterfly rash. Although they do not leave any scars like chronic cuteneous lupus, the lesions and lupus rash are more photosensitive and can become worse very fast if exposed to direct sunlight or fluorescent light. Sub-acute cuteneous lesions look more like red ring shaped or scaly lesions. They develop in areas that are exposed to the sunlight for a very long period like face and arms. They do not itch or burn but may leave scars or cause discoloration.

Be sure to check out my page on the treatement of this illness, methods on healing lupus.

What about the usage of medication?

Medications must be used to keep the rash under control. Most common medication is steroid ointments or creams. These creams and ointments are over the counter drugs and can be bought without a doctor’s prescription. However, it is best to seek medical attention if you are experiencing the above mentioned symptoms.