Does lupus erythematosus itch?

  Lupus erythematosus is the general term for the skin and mucous membrane lesions of SLE. More than 80% of lupus patients can develop skin and mucous membrane lesions, and lupus patients have a variety of rashes without significant pruritus.  The skin lesions of SLE patients can occur on the skin and mucous membranes of all parts of the body, among which the facial pteroidal erythema is the most characteristic and most common skin mucous membrane lesion. The butterfly erythema is usually located on the bridge of the nose and the cheeks of both cheekbones, and is symmetrically distributed, so named because it resembles a pair of wings of a butterfly. When the disease is active, butterfly erythema is more obvious, and after treatment, the color of the erythema turns lighter, the area is reduced, and even fades away gradually.  In addition, SLE skin and mucous membrane lesions include photosensitivity, palmar and perineal erythema, discoid erythema, erythema nodosum, lipofuscinosis, reticular cyanosis, Raynaud’s phenomenon, oral or nasal mucosal ulcers, etc. They can be found on the face, limbs, fingers, toes, chest, abdomen, back, oral and nasal cavities and other parts of the body.  Therefore, patients with SLE have a high incidence and diverse manifestations of skin mucosal lesions, mostly without obvious pruritus. Women of childbearing age, especially those with a family history of lupus, should consult a doctor promptly to investigate the possibility of lupus once they develop skin and mucosal lesions that are difficult to explain by conventional diseases.