CUTANEOUS LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS (CLE)
Cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) is lupus affecting the skin. In this autoimmune disease, the body’s immune system attacks healthy skin. There are 3 main types: 1) Acute cutaneous lupus (“acute skin lupus”); (2) Subacute cutaneous lupus (“subacute lupus”); and (3) Chronic cutaneous lupus (“discoid lupus”). All patients with skin lupus need to be monitored for disease inside of the body, which can affect the joints, kidneys, lungs, and other organs. Acute skin lupus almost always involves more than just the skin, whereas both subacute and discoid lupus often occur only in the skin. This is important because while all patients with skin lupus need to be monitored, many patients with either subacute lupus or discoid lupus go through life without significant disease inside their bodies. Lupus most often appears between the ages of 20 and 50 years; it affects women more than men; and it may happen more in patients with a family history of lupus or other autoimmune diseases. Symptoms Each type of skin lupus can be triggered and worsened by sunlight. Acute skin lupus most often involves a prominent rash on the cheeks and nose (“butterfly rash”). Subacute lupus most often presents with a red, raised, scaly rash on sun-exposed areas of the body. It tends to have circular skin lesions or lesions that can look like psoriasis on sun-exposed skin. Discoid lupus starts out as a red to purple scaly rash on the scalp, face, ears, and other sun-exposed areas. Over time, discoid lupus may heal with discolored scarring and even hair loss when the scalp is involved. Sometimes patients may feel pain or itch.