Tumid lupus is a rare form of cutaneous lupus erythematosus. It causes a person to develop smooth, nonscarring pimples on their skin. These pimples are often pink-to-violet in color.

Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that occurs when a person’s immune system attacks the body’s healthy tissues.

Cutaneous lupus erythematosus is a form of lupus that occurs when the immune system attacks healthy skin tissue. There are different forms of cutaneous lupus erythematosus, including:

  • acute cutaneous lupus
  • subacute cutaneous lupus
  • chronic cutaneous lupus

Tumid lupus is a very rare form of chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus. Other names for the condition include tumid lupus erythematosus and lupus erythematosus tumidus.

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Cutaneous lupus is a form of lupus that affects the skin. Common symptoms of cutaneous lupus include:

  • a large rash on the back
  • a butterfly-shaped rash on the face
  • scaly patches of skin on the face
  • sores on the inside of the mouth or nose
  • flare-ups on the skin that look like sunburn

There are three main forms of cutaneous lupus. One of these is chronic cutaneous lupus. This form of cutaneous lupus usually causes a person to develop coin-shaped sores on their:

  • face
  • ears
  • scalp

These sores may cause a person to experience:

Tumid lupus is a very rare form of chronic cutaneous lupus. Tumid lupus often only causes a person to develop pimples on the skin without any other skin symptoms.

Tumid lupus causes a person to develop pimples on their skin that are smooth and nonscarring.

These pimples are often pink-to-violet in color. They will usually develop on areas of the skin that a person commonly exposes to sunlight, such as the:

  • face
  • upper back
  • V area of the neck
  • torso
  • arms

Tumid lupus can affect both sides of the body equally and may only affect one side at a time.

If a person has tumid lupus, they will often develop pimples without any other skin changes, such as scarring. Tumid lupus does not typically cause a person to develop other symptoms of systemic lupus or other types of cutaneous lupus erythematosus.

Medical professionals do not fully understand the cause of tumid lupus. However, studies suggest that exposure to ultraviolet light may trigger the condition and worsen the lesions.

Lupus is an autoimmune disease. This is when the immune system attacks a person’s healthy tissues and organs.

Studies show that certain factors can trigger the immune response that causes lupus symptoms. These factors may include:

  • Genetics: Research indicates that genes can play a role in lupus development. Certain genes carry instructions for proteins that interact with the immune system. High or low levels of these proteins may play a role in the development of lupus.
  • Environment: In some cases, exposure to certain environmental factors can trigger lupus. These factors may include:
  • Immune and inflammatory causes: Some research notes that if the body does not remove damaged or dead cells in a normal manner, this may cause the immune system to continue to fight against itself. This theory suggests that this may cause the autoimmune response that causes lupus to develop.

When diagnosing tumid lupus, a medical professional may follow these steps:

  • Take the person’s medical history: The doctor will ask the person about their symptoms and any other health conditions they may have.
  • Ask the person about their family history: A doctor may ask the person about their family’s history of lupus or other autoimmune diseases. This is because in some cases these conditions may be genetic.
  • Carry out a complete physical exam: The doctor will usually then carry out a physical exam. During this, they will look for rashes and other symptoms of lupus.
  • Carry out blood and urine tests: Blood and urine tests may help a doctor see if a person’s immune system is producing more of certain antibodies. A person with lupus may test positive for antinuclear antibodies.

After all of these steps, a doctor may carry out a lesional biopsy. During this procedure, they will remove a part of a lesion from an active, erythematous plaque. A medical professional will then view this tissue under a microscope to see if it resembles a tumid lupus lesion.

The first-line treatment for tumid lupus is to protect the affected areas from sunlight and treat them with corticosteroids.

Medical professionals will suggest applying water-resistant sunscreen to the affected areas. The sunscreen should have a sun protection factor of 30 or higher. They may also suggest that the person uses protective clothing and avoids peak sun exposure.

Corticosteroid treatment can help reduce the symptoms of tumid lupus. A person will often apply topical corticosteroids twice a day for 2–4 weeks. Studies show that the symptoms of tumid lupus tend to improve after 2 weeks of corticosteroid treatment.

If a person has tumid lupus on their torso or extremities, they should use moderate- to high-potency corticosteroids. If they have tumid lupus on their face, they should use low-potency corticosteroids.

Antimalarial medications may also be an effective treatment for people with tumid lupus. Medical professionals tend to use the antimalarial medication hydroxychloroquine to treat cutaneous lupus.

Studies show that hydroxychloroquine is an effective treatment for 6 in 10 people with cutaneous lupus. It may take 8–12 weeks for antimalarial medications to reduce symptoms of tumid lupus.

Tumid lupus is a rare form of cutaneous lupus erythematosus. Tumid lupus causes a person to develop pimples on their skin that are smooth and nonscarring.

These pimples are often pink-to-violet in color and usually develop on areas of the skin that a person commonly exposes to sunlight.

A person may treat tumid lupus with topical corticosteroids. They may also use antimalarial medications, such as hydroxychloroquine, to manage the condition.