Yes, lupus commonly affects hair and nails, causing issues like hair thinning, breakage (especially at the hairline), and dryness, while nails can become brittle, discolored, split, or even lift from the skin, with permanent hair loss possible from scarring in some forms like discoid lupus. These changes often stem from skin inflammation, but hair loss can also be a side effect of lupus medications, and nail problems can increase infection risk.
Fingernail problems like nail ridges, splitting, and redness — which may appear differently depending on your skin tone — can also point to a lupus diagnosis. Always talk with your rheumatologist if you develop any new or worsening symptoms that you believe may be related to your lupus.
Lupus can also affect your hair and nails
The most common type of lupus, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), can cause dry, coarse hair to develop along the hairline. These dry, coarse hairs break off easily, causing the sparse-looking hair known as lupus hair. Other types of hair loss also develop.
Women with lupus can safely get pregnant and most will have normal pregnancies and healthy babies. However, all women with lupus who get pregnant are considered to have a "high risk pregnancy." This means that problems during pregnancy may be more likely for women with lupus.
About 10% of all people with lupus will experience hives (urticaria). These lesions usually itch, and even though people often experience hives due to allergic reactions, hives lasting more than 24 hours are likely due to lupus.
Some lupus complications can include:
Lupus and Sjogren's syndrome are both autoimmune diseases. Up to 5.5 million people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with lupus or Sjogren's syndrome. However, Sjogren's syndrome occurs up to three times more than lupus, but one-third of lupus patients also have Sjogren's syndrome.
The medicines used most often to manage lupus include:
Careers That May Trigger Lupus Symptoms
In general, some types of jobs may be harder for people with lupus to manage, including: Physically demanding jobs like construction, waiting tables, or nursing. Outdoor jobs like landscaping or lifeguarding.
Most people with lupus show few truly noticeable signs of the illness. Some may have a rash that comes and goes; a very few may suffer arthritis that is noticeable (this rarely happens early on), and those who are on steroids for several weeks may acquire a puffiness to their face that they could live without.
It might look like a butterfly. A common lupus rash is a butterfly-shaped facial rash, known as a malar rash.
In general these are safe. Some years ago there was a controversial research paper that suggested that hair dyes caused lupus. However, subsequent studies have not confirmed this. Some patients with both discoid and SLE may be allergic to dyes and chemicals and should be aware of a possible reaction.
Many people with lupus suffer from gastrointestinal problems, especially heartburn caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Peptic ulcers can also occur, often due to certain medications used in lupus treatment, including NSAIDs and steroids.
The most useful tests identify certain autoantibodies that are often present in the blood of lupus patients. A biopsy of the skin or kidneys may also be ordered if those organs are affected. The doctor will look at the entire picture — medical history, symptoms and test results — to determine if you have lupus.
Vitamin E has been shown to reduce markers of inflammation, stabilize immune cells to prevent autoimmune attacks, and reduce levels of autoantibodies in lupus patients. Vitamin A. Retinol, the active form of vitamin A, is important for healthy skin, bones, and soft tissues, and supports healthy immune function.
Lupus can attack many different parts of the body. Some call it the cruel mystery. Lupus is an autoimmune disease that can strike any part of the body, but the wide range of symptoms can be easily mistaken for something else.
Having lupus can make everyday life challenging. When your lupus is active, symptoms like joint stiffness, pain, fatigue, confusion, or depression can make simple tasks difficult — and sometimes impossible.
7 Most Popular Jobs for People With Lupus
Many people who have (or suspect they have) lupus see a rheumatologist (or pediatric rheumatologist if a child or teen). This type of doctor specializes in diagnosing and treating diseases of the joints and muscles.
Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease that leads to severe multiorgan damage. Lang Chuang Fang (LCF) is a Chinese herbal medicine that is clinically prescribed for treating SLE.
The vast majority of EBV-infected people (most of us, that is) have no idea they're still sheltering a virus and never get lupus. But essentially everyone with lupus is EBV-infected, studies have shown. An EBV-lupus connection has been long suspected but never nailed down until now.
Pregnant women with lupus, especially those having a flare, are at higher risk for complications. These include: Miscarriage. Preterm delivery, especially with a lupus flare.
Systemic lupus erythematosus is a chronic systemic rheumatic disease that can involve joints, kidneys, skin, mucous membranes, and blood vessel walls. Problems in the joints, nervous system, blood, skin, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, lungs, and other tissues and organs can develop.