Rash picture - opinions

[heavens_child0101]

I have been getting itchy, red, hive-like rashes on my arms, legs and hands for about 10 years now. I took a picture when my last rash on my leg was pretty bad. Could you tell me if this looks like it could be a lupus rash?

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x...1/HPIM0974.jpg
http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x...1/HPIM0977.jpg

I also have a couple of pictures of the possible butterfly rash on my face. I can't seem to get a picture in good lighting to show it. It is usually a flushed pink colour and sometimes goes brighter red. I have a couple of pictures where you can see it enough to see the shape of it so I thought you could also give me your opinion on that. It looks sort of purplish in the picture but it's actually a pinky, red.

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x...1/HPIM1390.jpg
http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x...1/HPIM1393.jpg

[JUNE B]

Hi , This rash looks very much like the rash i get from being out in the sun, its called polymorfic light erruption not sure spelling is right, i think its common in lupus. I was given a ultra violet light treatment, and it did the trick, also got nice tan too! speak to your GP, my treatment was done in hospital clinic. good luck regards june

[heavens_child0101]

No other input for me?

[Katharine]

Hello there,

I had to laugh when I saw the last post as I was just about to reply for that reason...

In fact, you are unlikely to have much input because, even for the most experienced dermy, it would be almost impossible to tell anything from a photo. They really need to see the rash "up close" and also need to be experienced in lupus too...so many things. That doesn't mean that photos aren't important. They are! To prove that the rash that you alwasy have, but that has disappeared on the day of your appointment, really exists!!

Your face rash, in photos, anyway, is rather slight compared to what many typical malar rashes look like.

Typically, the lupus malar rash is differentiated by the fact that it doesn't go into and cover the nasal folds. Of course things are never that simple as some people may suffer from a photosensitive (or other) rashes AND also have the malar rash.

The rashes on your legs seem "hive like" to me. For some people that may be their skins' manifestation of an autoimmune disease, for others it wouldn't be. My rashes were pretty odd, just terribly itchy redness which I would itch almost until it bled...and they travelled around, popping up somewhere new all the time. On the other hand, if ever I got any sun, I would get huge, red bumpy, hive like things everywhere!

Again, although I looked at your photos, as I'm sure many have, I really can't bring you any answers.

I know it's frustrating but that's how it is. You can find photos of lupus rashes on the net (and I believe there is a link here on the forum - just can't remember where right now). You do have to remember though that those photos are often the most severe manifestations and your rash being "less severe" doesn't rule out lupus or anything else.

My malar rash only really presented spectacularly on a few occasions and now (since starting on plaquenil) only comes out as a kind of bright glow at certain times (when I'm tired for example).

hope that explains the lack of enthusiasm for your post a bit,

hugs

Katharine

[Maia]

I would bring the pictures of your leg rash with you to the appointment, but I cannot see a rash on your face at all in those pictures. Mine was much more pronounced, basically flat, and had no feelings/burning. The sun sensitive rash I would get appeared on my arms/forearms and the v of my neck. They were smaller red bumps that were slightly itchy. It is really hard to make accurate comments/comparisons online - and a dermatologist may be a very good person to ask about your rashes.

Best of luck at your rheumy appointment, I hope you are able to get answers soon.

[greenhaggis]

Hi there,

As Maia suggested, take those pictures to the specialist - I would say a dermatologist in preference to a Rhuemi.

I can see the flush on your cheeks but like others cant say what the cause is!

I have flush on cheeks, nose, sides of neck and v-line of chest, gets far worse in sun or under certain lighting or just with heat.

Last week I attended St Thoms Dermatology unit and had 3 specialists (one of which was a leading consultant) looking at my skin lol. They also loved my pictures too of many different rashes/hives etc. Even these specilists who are very experienced in seeing lupus rashes could not 100% say what was causing my rashes lol, so they did a quite deep punch biopsy. (Bye the way I do have SLE, dignosed with many symptoms and some positive blood results).


Sorry I cant be of much help either!

Take care!

Lesley

[slatkabonbona21]

quick question regarding the ultra violet light treatment - did your insurance cover it??? or did you have to pay out of your pocket and if so how much is it??

Hi , This rash looks very much like the rash i get from being out in the sun, its called polymorfic light erruption not sure spelling is right, i think its common in lupus. I was given a ultra violet light treatment, and it did the trick, also got nice tan too! speak to your GP, my treatment was done in hospital clinic. good luck regards june

[Clare.T]

quick question regarding the ultra violet light treatment - did your insurance cover it??? or did you have to pay out of your pocket and if so how much is it??

Welcome to the forum

June hasn't visited for about a year so it's unlikely you will hear from her, but I remember being curious about her experience at the time because UV therapy is not usually used in lupus. In fact I doubt it is ever used because of the risk of exacerbating disease but I do need to update myself on the current position. You don't say if your interest is prompted by your having lupus but I will assume it is. I think you would need to see a very specialised dermatologist first to make sure the skin problem really is PMLE and not something like subacute cutaneous lupus and second, to determine what treatment would be best in view of the SLE. I should imagine that dermatologists specialised in photobiology might be involved. Plaquenil is used for some sorts of PMLE and is of course a treatment for SLE and lupus skin.
I would be surprised if PMLE really is that common along with lupus, not that I am in any informed position to know but there is no mention of it along with lupus in the articles and I have never heard of anybody else on forums having PMLE and lupus. I have never heard of anybody with lupus having any form of generally accepted UV treatment, not from doctors anyway, despite some sorts of UV treatment being used for other skin conditions and some research done on its possible use in lupus.

Since June is in the UK I imagine she got her treatment on our National Health Service so the insurance issue wouldn't arise

Best Wishes
Clare

[Heaven_07]

I really wish I could help, as I have the same thing happen on my face. It usually looks flush and pretty light...espeically in pictures. I haven't been diagnosed with Lupus but have a lot of the symptoms and go to my first rheumy visit in April. I just wanted to comment because mine looks the same. The pictures you find on the web always seem to be "worst case scenario" and really aren't helpful. Keep us updated if you find anything out.

[leasha23]

i had the same rash on my knees and elbows, the doctor prescribed me a steroid cream that worked wonders, maybe you could ask about this? x