autoimmune disease blog

What is discoid lupus?

Lupus disease can affect to the heart, kidney, skin, nervous system and joints. When internal organs are involved, the condition is called systemic lupus erythematosus and if only the skin is involved, then the disease called discoid lupus.

Discoid lupus is a chronic skin condition of sores with inflammation and scarring favoring the face, ears, and scalp and at times on other body areas. These lesions develop as a red, inflamed patch with a scaling and crusty appearance. The center areas may appear lighter in color with a rim darker than the normal skin. When lesions occur in hairy areas such as the beard or scalp, permanent scarring and hair loss can occur.

What is the cause?

The specific cause of discoid lupus is still dark, but it is thought to be autoimmune disease. The disease occurs when the immune system attack the body’s tissues. Patients with lupus have abnormal antibodies in their blood that are targeted against their own body tissues. This autoimmune disorder tends to run genetically. In some patients, ultraviolet from sunlight and cigarette smoking may cause the lesions apear.

What are the symptoms?

Discoid lupus is identified by a raised, red rash that can appear at every part of the body, but commonly affects the chest, face, neck and scalp. The rashs can be scaly, flaky or ichy and oftentimes appears on the skin after sun exposure. The red rash takes a ovel or round shape.

When the rash develops on the scalp, it can cause alopecia, kind of patchy, localized hair loss. The rash appears underneath the hair and the inflammation causes the hair follicles to lose their hold on the hair. The irritation of the remaining hair rubbing on the rash can cause more inflammation, create scabs and even a little bleeding. Discoid lupus can also cause some generalized hair loss.

How are the treatments?

Cortisone ointment applied to treatment the skin with discoid lupus. The involved areas will often the lesions and slow down their progression along the treatment. Cortisone injections into the lesions will also handle discoid lupus and commonly are better than the ointment form of cortisone. Pimecrolimus cream, calcineurin inhibitors, or tacrolimus ointment may be used as alternative discoid lupus treatment.

If the lesions are becoming unsightly and one really feel something more needs to be done, a drug named Plaquenil will often improve the condition.

Patients on Plaquenil need eye exams once a year to prevent damage to the retina of the eye and periodic blood work. Closely related drugs such as Aralen and Quinacrine may be more effective but have more side effects. Other drugs, such as Soriatane and Accutane, can also be used.