The life expectancy of people with lupus erythematosus is potentially compromised. Lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disease, which is mainly categorized into two different types: cutaneous lupus erythematosus and systemic lupus erythematosus, and neither type of lupus erythematosus can be completely cured. If patients with cutaneous lupus erythematosus do not receive timely treatment, further deterioration of the disease may develop into systemic lupus erythematosus, which may cause complications such as lupus encephalopathy, pericarditis and even respiratory failure, heart failure and other emergencies, which will directly jeopardize the patient’s life and affect his/her life expectancy. Whether or not lupus erythematosus will affect a patient’s life expectancy depends mainly on the patient’s condition. If the development of the disease is not controlled early enough, resulting in damage to the vital organs and tissues in the body, the individual’s life expectancy is very likely to be affected. It is recommended that patients with lupus erythematosus should consult a rheumatologist or dermatologist in a timely manner, under the guidance of a doctor for standardized treatment and regular follow-up.