Chronic cutaneous lupus (also called discoid lupus) causes round, disc-shaped sores, usually on the face and scalp. The sores can cause scars or changes in skin color. Subacute cutaneous lupus causes a red scaly rash or red ring-shaped sores.
Thick, scaly patch of skin (discoid lupus)
People who have discoid lupus develop these patches. Most patches appear on the face, scalp, or ears, but patches can develop elsewhere on the skin. Without prompt treatment, these patches tend to stay on the skin for a long time — sometimes for years.
Lupus can also drastically change one's appearance. Patients can have hair loss, rashes and scarring, as well as medication side effects like weight gain, hair loss and stretch marks,” says Dr. Jolly, who has led a number of studies on body image in people with lupus.
“People with skin lupus can have a form of disease that leaves quite a bit of damage to the skin—scarring, pigmentation changes, enlarged blood vessels, and areas of atrophy. These can be permanently disfiguring if not treated with surgical modalities.
A butterfly-shaped rash on your face — called a malar rash — often occurs. This rash reaches across your nose, from cheek to cheek, in a shape that resembles a butterfly. In addition to the malar rash, lupus skin rashes can appear anywhere on your body.
The effects lupus may have in and around the eyes include: changes in the skin around the eyelids, dry eyes, inflammation of the white outer layer of the eyeball, blood vessel changes in the retina, and damage to nerves controlling eye movement and affecting vision.
About 25% of people with lupus experience lesions that affect the mouth, nose, and sometimes even the eyes. These lesions may feel like small ulcers or “canker sores.” Such sores are not dangerous but can be uncomfortable if not treated.
This can cause a variety of problems, including fluid build-up and high blood pressure. When fluid builds in the body it is called edema, which means swelling. Swelling caused by lupus usually appears in the feet, ankles, legs, and eyelids, but may occur across the whole body.
One person with lupus may experience malar rashes, kidney involvement, and memory loss, while another can have seizures, pleurisy, or hair loss. Though any of these symptoms could be a manifestation of lupus, they also could signal another, problem.
It causes a red, scaly rash on the skin. Lupus is an autoimmune disease that causes your body to attack healthy tissues. Three types of cutaneous lupus cause different rashes to appear. The rashes often result from sun exposure.
Weight changes — Lupus can sometimes cause weight loss or weight gain. Weight loss may be unintentional and due to decreased appetite or problems with the digestive system (see 'Digestive system' below). It can also be a side effect of some medications used to treat lupus.
For some people, living with and managing lupus can cause weight gain. Weight gain may also lead to worsening lupus symptoms and complications associated with obesity. Some potential causes of weight gain that relate to lupus may include: being a side effect of medications such as corticosteroids.
Some of the most common signs of lupus are a rash and joint pain, says Konstantinos Loupasakis, MD, a rheumatologist with MedStar Washington Hospital Center, but symptoms can also include fatigue, hair loss, mouth sores, and fever. “There's a great range of manifestations we see with lupus,” he says.
Some of these "SLE mimickers" are very common, such as rosacea which can be mistaken for the butterfly rash, while others such as Kikuchi disease, type-1 interferonopathies, Castleman's disease, prolidase deficiency, angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, Evans' syndrome in the context of primary immune deficiencies and ...
Discoid lupus sores are often red, scaly, and raised. Over time, these sores can cause scars, permanent hair loss, or skin discoloration (lighter or darker areas on your skin).
Lupus is considered the “invisible disease.” Someone, whose symptoms are not as severe, may appear as if everything is fine, when in all actuality, the individual is fighting symptoms such as: chronic fatigue, joint aches, pains, and swelling.
Tooth decay was present in 100% of people with active lupus disease and 85% of people with inactive lupus – possibly due to reduced salivary flow or dry mouth, a common development of lupus. People with lupus exhibit more tooth loss than healthy population.
Some people with lupus have other problems with their intestines, like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Symptoms of IBS include: Abdominal pain. Gas.
Lupus can cause hoarseness, throat pain, and difficulty breathing. Some people with lupus have reported total aphonia, or inability to speak, that can last for several days before or after an autoimmune flare-up.
Lupus can be difficult to diagnose because its signs and symptoms often mimic those of other ailments. The most distinctive sign of lupus — a facial rash that resembles the wings of a butterfly unfolding across both cheeks — occurs in many but not all cases of lupus.