Does lupus cause very dry skin?

[stillwaiting]

hello - I have APS and pernicious anaemia. I have a positive ANA and St T's say I have lupus like symptoms associated with the APS but full blown lupus is not evident at the moment. I start Plaquenil in the new year (my specialist recommends introducing new drugs one at a time as I am on warfarin)

I have had very dry skin for a while. I used to go to bed with cream and cotton gloves on. Then the skin on my hands started to crack and bleed. The skin got so bad that I could not bend my finger joints. I have now been given a course of steroid cream.

Is this due to the lupus symptoms? Has anyone else had it?

Lynn.

[Hidden]

Hi stillwaiting, can only say that when I had my first appt at st Thomas's , they said I had arthritic skin! They said it has an " orange peel " effect and is very dry. This was in 2005. I was 44yrs. My feet elbows and fingers, do crack and bleed. I am also anaemic and just finished my iron transfusion,'again. Am on hydroxy and steroids all the time with other meds stopped and started over the years. Don't know if there is a link, but you are not alone. If any help I use sudocrem on any broken skin. Take care, hope you get somewhere soon.

[minniish]

Hi,

soryy to hear your suffering such symptoms, I also have very dry skin which also cracks. So i use dove mostuiser for dry skin its amazing. as well as using nivea lip balm because my lips get sore and crackly. my dry skin did get a bit worse when my lupus was active btw.

Take care.

[stillwaiting]

Thank you both for replying. The steroid cream is working well in that I now have some movement in my finger joints and the redness is going but the skin looks like crepe paper! I feel so sore everywhere: skin, muscles, joints, eyes. I realised this morning that I have become totally used to being in constant pain - it's like "Oh good I'm not in agony today , it just hurts a lot - like normal" - sad but I have to laugh or I'd cry

Lynn.x.

[lennox]

Yes I suffer from very dry skin on my face legs arms and feet they start with little blisters and open and crack I have to use creams all the time just keep creaming up even when ur skin feels better because it soon comes back