Chronic Cutaneous Lupus Lesions most often appear on the face, ears, scalp, neck, and hands. They are usually not itchy or painful, but they may cause dark spots or scars that remain on the skin after they heal. Scarring on the scalp may destroy hair follicles and result in permanent hair loss.
A lupus rash can be itchy for some individuals. According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, a butterfly rash, or malar rash, is an itchy rash that appears across the bridge of the nose and the cheeks. It often occurs after exposure to sunlight, but it can occur spontaneously.
Many people with lupus have skin problems, like rashes or sores on the scalp, that can cause hair loss. Hair loss and thinning hair can also be side effects of certain medicines used to treat lupus, like steroids and immunosuppressives.
If a discoid lupus rash occurs on your scalp, it may cause hair loss. If a scar forms on your scalp, the hair loss may be permanent. Having a discoid rash that lasts a long time may increase your risk for skin cancer.
Sores or red patches on the skin
Discoid lupus lesions, which are thick and disk-shaped. They often appear on the scalp or face and can cause permanent scarring. They may be red and scaly, but they do not cause pain or itching. Subacute cutaneous lesions, which may look like patches of scaly skin or ring-shaped sores.
Scalp psoriasis is an autoimmune condition. It causes raised, discolored plaques on your scalp or on the skin around your scalp that may be dry, itchy and irritating. Prescription and over-the-counter medications can alleviate your symptoms.
Discoid lupus causes raised, scaly patches. As these patches clear, scars can form. When scars develop on the scalp, hair cannot grow where there are scars. Prompt treatment of discoid lupus on the scalp can prevent scarring.
Treatments for lupus hair loss
For discoid lupus, these include : protecting the scalp from the sun. topical or oral corticosteroids. topical calcineurin inhibitors, which are immunosuppressants.
lupus psychosis. It is described as delusions or hallucinations. About 12 percent of lupus patients experience it. A few more little-known symptoms are vertigo, Raynaud's Syndrome, and oral health problems, like gum disease.
Chronic Cutaneous Lupus
Lesions commonly appear on the face, scalp, or ears but can be anywhere on the body. Discoid lupus lesions can also look like psoriasis. However, they usually aren't itchy or painful. Discoid lesions on the scalp may cause hair loss.
Some autoimmune diseases that may cause an itchy rash are cutaneous lupus, oral lichen planus, and erythrodermic psoriasis.
Other medications to treat skin lupus
If you have extensive skin rashes, then some antimalarial medications, like hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine, can be helpful. These work 50% to 90% of the time. For short-term relief, steroid pills are an option.
A corticosteroid that your dermatologist injects: This can help clear a thick lupus patch on your skin. Antimalarial medication: Used to treat malaria, this medication can also clear skin rashes due to lupus and prevent lupus flares. Antimalarial medication works slowly.
Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease of the hair follicles. It is characterized by a well-defined non-scarring alopecic patch or patches that may extend to the entire scalp or lead to total body hair loss. Due to its unpredictable clinical course, AA causes substantial psychological harm.
Sulfa drugs, which make a person more sensitive to the sun, such as: Bactrim® and Septra® (trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole); sulfisoxazole (Gantrisin®); tolbutamide (Orinase®); sulfasalazine (Azulfidine®); diuretics. Sun-sensitizing tetracycline drugs such as minocycline (Minocin®)
Hair loss associated with lupus is typically due to an autoimmune response that attacks the scalp. This inflammation can lead to excessive hair shedding that causes overall thinning. Medications used to treat lupus can cause hair loss as well.
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).
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.
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.
With age, symptom activity with lupus often declines, but symptoms you already have may grow more severe. The accumulation of damage over years may result in the need for joint replacements or other treatments.
Many conditions can cause an itchy scalp ― from dandruff to ringworm or something more serious like a bacterial infection or autoimmune condition.