Good morning all. I know lupus can cause a lot of skin changes. I’ve read about the different types, lesions etc.
I used to be a sun worshipper. Deep, dark tan, outside by the pool all summer. Well this year has been very different and I’m accommodating accordingly. The first time I laid out I was covered in an itchy bumpy rash. Looked a lot like prickly heat on a baby. That was with 30 sunblock. Now I lather on 75 or 100 SPF if I need to be outside. I don’t lay in the sun but I do go in the pool donned in my hat and sunglasses.
The skin on my arm, chest and knees is changing. I don’t even know how to describe it but I will try. First it was flaking bad. No matter how much lotion it didn’t make a difference. Now it’s changed to this dry, tight,wrinkled looking, itchy, rough, leathery “rash” . I don’t even know if its a rash or what to call it. I made an appointment with a dermatologist for tomorrow. Maybe they can sample it or something and see if its AI related. I don’t know. Does this sound familiar to anyone?
I'm a sun worshiper too. Never had any skin problems or flare ups after being in the sun. This year, I'm at the beach for family vacation and I have terrible heat rash/prickly heat on my arms. I've never had so many bumps on my arms before. And like you, that was with sunblock on. Some medications (for me, Plaquenil) can cause photosensitivity and this is my first summer on Plaquenil so I'm wondering if it's from the medication. If it's not gone by the time I go home, I'll be going to the dermatologist too. I've never had the tight leathery rash, but it very well could be lupus related.
Good luck at your appointment. Let us know how it goes and if you get any answers.
Hello Jend,
I have Discoid Lupus of the skin besides psoriasis and it's a no go for sun anymore...done the protection cream besides steriods for my skin and still a no go situation...although you like the sun as i used to besides a sunbed the lot was stopped when i found out and my Dermo said no more and it's a good job.
The first rash you described is an Hives rash which is common in patients but regarding your other wait and see what the Dermo says...you may not like this but you may have to keep out of it, i do and if you keep trying you'll be worse off in the end plus just the humidy in the air can trigger we.
Update we please on how your appointment goes and all the very best.
Terri :)
I take Benadryl from time to time to calm my rash down. Also use skin restoring Cetaphil moisturizer
Just came back from dermatologist. She took 2 skin punch biopsies. She said since I have the connective tissue disease she is very suspicious of the rash and is testing one specifically for lupus and the other for some other things. I won’t know anything for about a week.
I can relate completely to your description. I have never been a sun worshiper, in fact, I have always been very careful about spending time in the sun.
You have described my rash to a "T". I have had biopsies done and the best guess is that it's "lupus like". So, my official diagnosis is Discoid Lupus.
Oddly enough, I don't have to spend any real time in the sun to achieve the rash. The short walk from my house to my car is enough to keep the rash going...
Please post again with your results.
The sun is not a friend to Lupus. Please be careful bc if on prednisone the sun can make you faint. Good luck
Your rash sounds a lot like what I've had on my arms lately. I thought it was in a strange pattern -- on my left arm it is on the outside / left side of my forearm and elbow, and on my right arm it is on the left side of the wrist and left side of the back of my hand. But I realized that when I am driving, that is the pattern the sun usually hits my arms through the driver's window, so I am pretty sure it is from the sun. I've been better about remembering sunblock on my arms even if I'm not really going to be outside and it seems a bit better lately.
To ranin02, that is what I do also I have to put sunblock all over my arms, chest, face hands and anywhere else that the sun may touch me at. Anyone with Lupus must stay out of the sun especially during the harsh summer months.
I have flat brownish patches on my back for years now, they are very itchy. When they were biopsied the results came back as Inflammation? I too get itchy red bumps from the sun. Can't wait to see what they find from your results!
Funny...it does sound like Psoriasis. Hoping your derm gives you good news.
Wow, I did not know that about prednisone. I started on that last week & was out in the sun yesterday, just driving around for about an hr. By the time I got home I felt so sick & exhausted.
victoria jimenez said:
The sun is not a friend to Lupus. Please be careful bc if on prednisone the sun can make you faint. Good luck
Hello! My skin is one of my worse symptoms right now! I get lesions especially on arms and legs. My skin is thinning really fast. I'm only 55, but whenever I scratch my arms or bump them, I get "geriatric" looking blood splatters. In the sun, forget it, the burning and itching is maddening and relentless. One thing that concerns me also is that I am bruising easily and they stay for a long time! Weird huh, what an allergy to your own body will do!
Jend, what did you find out from your test results?
Jend719 said:
Just came back from dermatologist. She took 2 skin punch biopsies. She said since I have the connective tissue disease she is very suspicious of the rash and is testing one specifically for lupus and the other for some other things. I won't know anything for about a week.