This might sound like a super stupid question so sorry in advance.
When I get a lupus rash it always occurs on my arms. Obviously it’s sun-sensitive so will flare up when exposed to the sun. However I’ve noticed in the winter (where we’ve had very little sun) I’m still experiencing these rashes on my arms. It tends to occur when I’m fatigued, stressed, or especially when I’m in a lot of pain with my joints. So, I guess my question is, in your experience, can the rash occur due to those reasons, or does it always have to be related to sun exposure?
Thank you in advance x
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Hayleyrose28
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To answer your question from my experience, stress will bring a flare on about as fast as anything! Over doing things and getting extremely tired will also bring on a flare. So, no sunlight is not the only thing!
Thank you for replying, helps to know I’m not alone. 😊 It just seems like there’s a big misconception online about this, and I begin to question my symptoms haha... x
Hi. Nothing is ever a stupid question where Lupus is concerned, there are so many weird and crazy symptoms. I get rashes all year round, sun sensitivity is worse in the summer but it crops up even in the depths of winter. X
Thank you. I’m on 400mg hydroxychloroquine and that meant that my rash wasn’t as frequent as before (and with some depo medrone injections too). But the rash still seems to come in with a vengeance at times 🙁.
I'm an arm rash gal too... : ) I'm also a photosensitive. At the beginning of my symptom presentation I was getting rashes/reddening very quickly (within minutes) after sun exposure, I now get a very itchy inflammation rash, lasting over a week, with no distinct cause and definitely without sun exposure because I was well covered before my last bout in January. Plus there wasn't any sun! I got arm rashes all last winter too, though they've decreased significantly with the medication (Hydroxy 200 and Cellcept 2000, just increased to 2500). I was also put on another medication to control mast cells, called Montelukast with a regular dosing of antihistamines because I presented early on with week long outbreaks of hives. It was not until the Cellcept and the Montelukast with antihistamines that I saw a marked decrease. The Hydroxy on its own, though it helped miraculously with the joints, did not seem to work for these rashes. So if they keep repeating, it is certainly worth bringing this to your Rheumatologist for a deeper look.
For interest's sake, can you say how long your rashes last? Even though I have Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disorder, which works in a similar way to Lupus by attacking the healthy connective tissues, my biopsies did not show Lupus. They showed a type of Vasculitis. We can tend to develop more than one autoimmune condition once one appears, so just worth keeping an eye out.
Thank you for replying. My arms get so red and really hot, and recently my skin has been super irritated 😩. Unfortunately my rheumatologist had to retire very suddenly (which I’m so gutted about) but I’ll make sure I mention it to my new consultant when I change over.
Usually the rash lasts a day or so, probably most it lasts is a week. I have a few different autoimmune diseases, so I feel like I have a medical list as long as my (rash filled) arm haha.
I have SCLE n I seem to always have rashes somewhere on my person!! At the moment I've got rashes on my back, chest,n tops of my thighs..not due to sunlight coz I don't go out much!! I had a big flare up last year which started in February which I investigated n discovered that us lupies can also be sensitive to artificial lighting such as flourescent lights...I had recently moved into a bungalow which had a 5ft flourescent light in the kitchen!!! Lots of people on here have talked about artificial lighting affecting their lupus.
So now if I'm going to an appointment at hospital where the lighting tends to be very harsh I have to cover up n wear a hat!! I felt a bit self conscious at first but soon got used to it.
As others have said here rashes don't have to be sun sensitivity...stress n feeling generally unwell will also trigger a rash with me.
There's no such thing as a stupid question on this forum my lovely 🦋🌺🦋xx
Funnily enough, around the time of my diagnosis last year, I was filming a promotional video for my university and they used a lot of artificial lights. Subsequently I had a bad flare, and the rash was really bad. My rheumatologist said then it was probably the lights.
It’s nice to know I’m not alone though, sometimes I feel like I’m going mad with the symptoms haha.
Mine used to be extremes of temperature.so had to stop swimming(cold water)this was awful for me as it was something I loved.cold wind is the one that does it for me .we are all different aren’t we?i don’t get the big welts anymore.thank goodness!!!!hope yours go away too x
Oh gosh the welts sound awful! I’m glad you don’t get them anymore!
I find it really difficult to regulate my body temperature (though this may be due to having hypothyroidism) so I’m either freezing cold or boiling hot haha.
That’s a real shame about swimming, I love swimming too.
Best wishes and hope things begin to improve for you soon x
It's definitely not a silly question and I am sure there are other members on here who appreciate you asking this!
Skin involvement affects around 60% to 70% of people with lupus. Although sun-exposure can cause people with lupus to experience skin rashes, other factors such as high disease activity within the body and stress can also cause such symptoms. We published a booklet on lupus and skin which you may find useful - lupusuk.org.uk/wp-content/u...
Here is the link to our blog article on coping with light-sensitivity in case you haven't read it lupusuk.org.uk/coping-with-...
Below, are a few information links which you may find helpful:
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Photosensitive rash? 
Sun rash 
When did your Lupus rash start?
Update on rash 😬
Sun protection - plain, long sleeved rash vests 
