Discoid lupus, or Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus, is a form of lupus that is limited to the skin. While other forms of lupus can affect your body’s joints, muscles, and organs, discoid lupus affects your skin with the formation of rashes and lesions on your face, neck, or scalp. This form of lupus is commonly referred to as discoid lupus because the area of rashes and lesions are shaped like circular discs. Discoid lupus can also cause changes to the pigmentation of your skin, so if you start to see some discoloration of your skin color you will want to seek medical attention from a doctor as soon as possible.
With roughly ten percent of the people who suffer from discoid lupus also contracting systemic lupus, it is important that you constantly monitor your lupus condition through regular visits to your doctor. If you do not monitor your lupus condition on a regular basis, it is possible that you could see systemic lupus form in another part of your body, which is a much more serious medical condition.
Discoid lupus is can be treated several different ways. The most common method of treatment is through a topical ointment that is applied to the affected areas of your skin. This ointment will help reduce the inflammation seen within your rash and lesions as well as help prevent the spread of these skin conditions to other parts of your body. If you find that the prescription ointment is not effective enough to make a difference with your discoid lupus, cortisone injections can also be given. Cortisone injections are probably the most effective way to treat discoid lupus as these shots have proven highly effective in stopping the spread of lesions around your body while also reducing the redness and flakiness associated with your rash.
Discoid Lupus is a skin disorder where sores with inflammation and scarring occur on the face, ears, and scalp. While the lesions develop as red, inflamed patches, they may also become scaly and crusty in appearance. Also, the center of the lesions may appear lighter in color with a rim darker than your normal skin color. If lesions occur in hairy areas such as the scale or beard, it is possible for permanent scarring and hair loss to occur. While Discoid Lupus is a chronic skin disorder, it is possible for people who suffer from discoid lupus to develop other forms of lupus that affect the internal organs.
The main sign that you may have discoid lupus is the formation of lesions on your face, ears, and scalp. These lesions can form on other parts of your body as well, but mainly they will stick to areas on your head. The red color associated with discoid lupus lesions is another sign to look out for when trying to determine whether or not you suffer from discoid lupus. If you do notice any number of lesions on your face, ears, or scalp, you will want to see a doctor immediately. Your doctor will be able to run a skin biopsy to determine whether or not your condition is in fact discoid lupus.
Early diagnosis is key when dealing with discoid lupus. Once you are able to determine that you do have discoid lupus, you will be able to see treatment in the form of cortisone injections to help reduce the inflammation of your sores and help prevent them from spreading around your body. Your doctor may prescribe some other ointments to help control the spread of lesions on your body, but cortisone injections appear to be the most effective form of treatment.
Discoid lupus is one of the various forms of lupus that is characterized by the red, scaly, flaky rashes and lesions you get on your face, ears, neck, and scalp. While discoid lupus can easily be disregarded as some other type of skin disorder, it is something that you want to take seriously and get treated as soon as you show any symptoms.
The major reason why you want to treat your discoid lupus immediately is so that your doctor can have your disease on file and monitor your health moving forward. Ten percent of people that contract discoid lupus will also suffer from systemic lupus, which is why it is important that you monitor your symptoms to see if your discoid lupus is turning into systemic lupus. Systemic lupus is the more severe form of lupus that affects your body’s muscles, joints, and organs. If left untreated, systemic lupus can cause a lot of damage to your body and pain as well.
While discoid lupus is not as severe as systemic lupus, it is still a disease that needs to be treated. With no known cure, discoid lupus is something that needs to be dealt with by those who are suffering its effects. When you get your discoid lupus treated at an early stage, it is much easier to live with this disorder moving forward. The quicker you receive treatment for the rashes and lesions on your face, the sooner you will be able to get on with your life as the rashes and lesions subside. Being able to limit the outbreaks associated with discoid lupus will enable you to live a fuller life by not having to deal with the social anxiety placed on many people that suffer the negative effects of discoid lupus.