Depressing facial rashes/What do you do?

[MrsMarigold]

Today I feel very overwhelmed with the uglies of lupus on my face. I’ve begun a flare of my own fault getting maybe 5 minutes of sun. My face is attacked with red raised bumps and my fingers and legs as well. I’ve had this before but never so acute. I take hydroxy and can’t change to another medication with surgery in July. What do you recommend for face rashes?

[Lizard28]

I have to admit I have done the same this week, went out in sun without my hat on. I don’t usually get a malar rash but I have now, bumpy skin and typical malar rash. I used the dermovate and elecon which I was prescribed by dermotologist. I won’t use it for long as I know it’s a steroid cream. It seems to be helping. I was so ill I had to lie down, you would have thought I had been lying in sun for hours. Like sunstroke. Hat will be stuck to my head from now on, I did have my sun cream on as well, we don’t get much sun in Scotland so it was nice to sit out with a glass of wine like a normal person, but have learned my lesson. I’ve recently been prescribed vitamin D due to lack of sun so I think mentally I was trying to balance my vitamin supply. Will keep taking the tablets instead lol.

[FandNnan]

I've been avoiding the sun's rays but it's hard to miss them completely! I live in a light and airy flat that catches the sun all day. And .... perhaps as a consequence of that I continually have rash and lesions. I'm not really sure what causes it for me as the rash never goes away completely.

I occasionally use the steroid creams but sparingly as my dermatologist says my skin is damaged and thin and they are not really effective for me anyway.

I take daily doses of Prednisolone and have done for several years now as this is the only thing that deals with the rashes.

In February I had managed to reduce dosage to 8mg daily, now I'm at 15mg daily as I have two angry red patches on my face. I take this alongside Azathioprine and hydroxychloroquine for other lupus and related symptoms.

I do use "It Cosmetics" foundation sometimes that is 50spf and covers very well. Feels lovely on my skin but I generally am without makeup as I don't go out much! I hope you manage to find something to help you. 😊

[CavendishCool]

Me too! Right fed up. It's not even on two cheeks (face). I think it might be the SPF 50 that I've been slapping on. I feel like a spotty teenager again - if only. I've just been putting tinted moisturiser on top of it because I don't really know what to do. It's nothing really, but it's just that little twist that reminds you of the Loopy. The game of whack-a-mole begins. Up pops facial rash - wallop...wonder what will be next. I do try to feel lucky with what I've got, but tbf, I don't today. 🥴

[Newsystem23]

I have the same reaction. 5 minutes is all it takes. Being only diagnosed late last year, cutaneous lupus is very new to me. By the time you realise you are exposed to sunlught/artificial light, its already had an affect. I use a no 7 moisturiser spf 40 and a tinted bb cream spf 50 for my face every day. For flare ups, i am prescribed Elocon which is a steroid cream. I use sunscreen 50+ spf for my arms and legs. Always check that any products you use have the 5 stars rating. (5 stars in a circle) . If there is a better way of dealing with sun effect prevention, i would be very appeciative if you would share. All the very best MrsMarigold

[Mamasquidy in reply to Newsystem23]

My dermatologist advised against using foundation with SPF50 because you don't apply as much foundation as you would sun cream. I use La Roche Posay for my face and reapply every two hours. Even if I'm inside my house.

[Maycontainnuts]

On top of everything else it feels like the last straw sometimes doesn’t it, so I just wanted to send some love. My heart still sinks a bit whenever I look in the mirror of a morning & see the telltale red blotches. Happens too often to keep using topical steroids & thankfully usually I don’t get any itch or anything so I just treat the skin very gently for a few days, wash with cold water, etc. Because of all my skin problems I’ve never worn much make-up so I don’t need to use a lot of products. If it’s particularly angry, more raised and bumpy, then it feels hot and so I will resort to Protopic for a few days which consultant prescribed for me, and use an ice ball wrapped in a tea towel just to alleviate the burning sensation. It felt like a much bigger problem in my younger days, nowadays I remind myself that nobody’s looking at me but it’s still dispiriting, I know. If the rash stands out too much I wear some eye make-up for counter balance. Some people swear by the green concealer stuff for anti-redness but can’t be bothered myself! The best thing I’ve done about it is change my self-talk, I was very insulting. We say things to ourselves we wouldn’t dream of saying to another. You should have heard the way I spoke to myself in the mirror - just look at the state of you - ugly! What a mess! Now I try to stop being so harsh on my reflection. If my skin is reacting I send it some love and thank it for doing its best. Sounds woo-woo I know but it helps a lot. I use the same approach every day with whatever parts of my body are giving me jip. Be as kind and compassionate to yourself as I’ve seen you be on here with others, Mrs Marigold x

[MrsMarigold]

Thx for all your sharing. It helps to know I’m not the only one. I don’t wear sunscreen at all as my skin is so sensitive it just burns. Big hats and UV clothing. My surgeon wants my vitamin D up to 70 for better healing. So my thought was well 5 minutes is ok. Nope. Not even seconds. God I miss the sun.

[Muguet28]

Hello Mrs Marigold, I and recently my daughter have had this and saw thé paediatric dermatologist recently who recommended La Roche Posay UV protection cream. Not sure if your skin would be sensitive to it. So sad about the sun sensitivity, I also feel headache, sore throat, fatigue develop day after. I used to be a sun animal…

[MrsMarigold in reply to Muguet28]

Hi Muguet28. I’ve decided to give the La Roche Posay a go. Seems others on here also have luck with it. Yes it’s hard adjustment to not just sit in the sun for the pleasure of it. It makes me sick as well. Best to you. MM

[Muguet28 in reply to MrsMarigold]

I hope you’re not sensitive to the cream and that it works for you. It won’t solve the feeling sick after sun but may help with the rashes. All the best

[MrsMarigold]

So I do not know how many of you are also sensitive to blue light/computers and overheads etc. any artificial light? My photosensitivity is rather acute. My eyes just got a thorough checkup. So I wear big hats and very dark glasses in the house.

Thanks for everyone’s support here. I’m back to laughing and answering my ringing doorbell in my head attire with red lipstick. Folks don’t stay too long which is good then I can resume leisure on my fainting couch😂 MM