Lupus Rash

Lupus is an autoimmune disorder, where the immune system produces antibodies that attacks the healthy cells and tissues of the body. The result is inflammation or swelling and pain of the affected regions or organs. Lupus can affect any part of the body including the skin, blood cells, joints and internal organs such as, kidneys, lungs and heart. The disease can produce various symptoms including skin rash. Skin involvement or lupus rash can be observed in about 90% of the patients. Such skin rash has been found to more commonly affect Caucasian patients than African-Americans.

There are basically four types of lupus, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), discoid lupus, drug-induced lupus and neonatal lupus. Out of these, rash is more commonly associated with systemic lupus erythematosus and discoid lupus. Systemic lupus erythematosus can affect any part of the body including the skin, while discoid lupus or cutaneous lupus is generally confined to the skin only. Both the conditions can cause the appearance of rash on chest, neck, legs, face and several other parts of the body.

Causes of Lupus Rash

The exact causes of lupus are not known with certainty. However, both genetic and environmental factors are thought to play a significant part in the development of the disorder. The disorder and the rash caused by it are found to be more prevalent among women as compared to men. Generally, it is believed that certain individuals are genetically predisposed to this autoimmune disorder, and as a result, their immune system gets easily stimulated by some environmental factors like sunlight or ultraviolet radiation, stress and certain drugs.

It has been mostly observed to affect the skin of the areas, exposed to sunlight. Therefore, rash on neck, face, scalp and hands are very common. On the other hand, women are more likely to get such lupus skin rash or the symptoms of lupus in them are likely to worsen before the onset of the menstrual cycle. This led many to think that, even female hormone estrogen could have a role in triggering the various symptoms of lupus disease including, the skin rash.

Characteristics and Types of Lupus Rash

It can be of various types. The rash that appears in systemic lupus erythematosus usually resembles a butterfly in shape, and they mostly occur in the faces and across the nose bridge. Such a lupus butterfly rash is called 'malar rash', which is a characteristic feature of systemic lupus erythematosus. This type of rash can be flat or raised, and bright red or pink in color. On the other hand, the rash observed in case of discoid lupus, is usually oval or disk-shaped and raised, and can itch a lot. Such itchy rash can occur in patches across the body and can heal with scarring. These rashes can change the pigmentation of the affected area, for which the area may look lighter or darker than the surrounding skin.

Another type of skin rash can appear in lupus, which is known as subacute cutaneous lupus. This types of skin rash usually affects the body parts exposed to sunlight. This type of skin rash can be observed as scaly patches, that gradually enlarge and form circular areas on the skin. Subacute cutaneous lesions can occur in both systemic and discoid lupus, and they usually do not lead to skin scarring. But they can cause hypopigmentation of the affected skin, i.e. the skin of the affected regions can look lighter than the surrounding area. Sometimes, lupus can also cause the appearance of fluid filled blisters on the skin, which are accompanied by a burning sensation.

Lupus Rash Treatment

Treatment depends on the type of rash, and severity of the condition. Most of the time, the condition is managed with the help of topical ointments and creams that contain steroids. Hydrocotisone creams are more commonly employed for this purpose. However, occasionally, oral medications can also be required to control recurrent outbreak of this condition. Another treatment option available is steroid injections, especially if the condition causes an appearance of painful skin lesions.

To sum up, there can be different types of lupus, and a proper understanding about them is very important for their effective management. In general, the frequency of outbreak of lupus can be controlled by avoiding excessive exposure to intense sunlight. Using a good sunscreen lotion and covering the body parts that more prone to this condition, before going out in the sun can prove helpful in this regard. Also important is to constantly supervise the condition, find out the triggering factors and an effective treatment plan in consultation with your physician.