I am presenting symptoms of Lupus. What kind of doctor treats Lupus? They are dermatological now, so I am...?

seeing a dermatologist. Currently I have two different auto-immune responses happening - I just found a two inch in diameter bald spot on the back of my head and I have had two dry skin patches under each of my eyes, looks like the butterfly pattern. The bald spot happened last week and the butterfly patch has been there since October and my doctor cannot make it go away - only temporarily through topical steroids. I am 38 now. Twenty years ago in college, I had vitaligo, which is when your skin looses pigment under my left eye - I remember not being able to tan there, eve a self-tanner would not change the color in that one spot. I had a TIA - mini stroke when I was 25 and have no other symptoms of heart disease. I had HELLP when I was pregant. That is where your liver is inflammed and your body stops making red blood cells. I had to get 16 units of blood products after I delivered. My son was also premature. I also have a gastro-intestinal condition that my doctors cannot treat.

Rheumatologists treat systemic lupus as well as other autoimmune disorders.

Scleroderma, mentioned in another answer, is not limited to the skin. It can affect organs, too.

It sounds like you are very bright and able to descrbie your symptoms and history clearly. That will help you get to a diagnosis. You could quite possibly have several autoimmune disorders in overlap. That's common.

Be persistent and make certain that all the doctors you see know what the others have done as far as diagnosis goes. Get a huge, fat looseleaf notebook and keep all your records in it. This will be helpful along the line.

I hope you find your answer.

Rheumatologists usually treat lupus. It's an autoimmune disorder.

RUN to your regular MD and get your thyroid levels tested-If you have Lupus, you need to see a medical Doctore-there are very serious things going on in your body that need attention-and not by a dermatologist. If your going to se anyone to really help you, go see our regular Dr or an endocrinology Dr. They can help you. good luck.

If your current problems are limited to the scleroderma, then the dermatologist should be fine. Should you develop systemic symptoms, your internist will be the place to go, and he can refer to a rheumatologist if needed.