Lupus rash or Rosacea?

I have a rash on my face sometimes that burns. It feels basically like I have been sunburnt on that area, and it appears around the nose, cheeks area. It is not raised and it has no acne with it but simply makes me looks red. It doesn't seem to be the butterfly-shape they say Lupus has. Also, I am male which I hear it is rare in males.

I am thinking it is Rosacea but the thing is that the affected area is very irritable and red when it flares up. It is tender and somehwat painful to touch. Shaving makes it flare up usually, some days I will wake up feeling it hot on my face. If I apply moisturizer or anything it burns like hell. Is Rosacea supposed to hurt? Or could it be the early onset of Lupus? I don't know enough about the rashes to come to any conclusion. I usually avoid doctors as most in my area are useless and prone to misdiagnoses. Anyone with Lupus or Rosacea confirm for me if the rash actually pains you?

Lupus-associated rashes are not usually painful. There are essentially for different types of lupus, each with its own symptoms. Lupus has many general symptoms that may include profound fatigue, painful swollen stiff joints, fever, weight changes, and Raynaud's syndrome. Read more at http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/lupus/D...

I am answering your Question because I was once in a rosacea versus lupus situation. I had profound fatigue, fever, Raynaud's syndrome, a butterfly rash, chest pain, and dry eyes. I was eventually diagnosed with fibromyalgia and rosacea.

Read more about rosacea at http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/rosacea...

Rosacea has three stages:
1. Pre-rosacea. You flush easily, but it goes away.
2. Vascular rosacea. You flush easily and it stays longer as the capillaries in your face stay dilated longer. Your skin may be more sensitive.
3. Inflammatory rosacea. Skin stays red; inflammation and acne-type cysts occur. In men, the nose may become enlarged and bulbous (i.e., President Clinton had rosacea!).

As rosacea is caused by inflammation and is easily irritated, it may indeed feel hot, especially when further irritated by shaving. Never, never apply moisturizer to rosacea to try to calm it unless it's a dermatologist-recommended moisturizer. Rosacea can be treated with prescription topical medications that also contain moisturizer (I used Noritate for many years).

As rosacea in men can be more severe than in women, you may want to see a physician specifically to ask, "Is this rosacea?"

If you're having lupus symptoms, you may want to ask for a referral to a qualified physician in your area. How to find one? http://www.lupus.org/newsite/index.html and click on "find your local chapter". Some chapters list physicians; some list support groups.

Rosacea shouldn't burn like that. Even though the MDs in your area are useless. Try finding a teaching hospital & have a consult with the director of that specialty: either Rheumatology or Dermatology.

If you have Lupus it might show up in your blood as a
+rheumatoid factor.

Google:mayo clinic>>diseases & conditions>>rosacea & lupus.

Good luck to you.

Rosacea and lupus are both autoimmune diseases which need to be properly diagnosed and treated.

Not all lupus rashes take the malar or butterfly shape and not all occur on the face. If you type "google images" into your browser and then type "lupus" into the search box you will see all kinds of lupus rashes on all parts of the body.

Overall the ration of women to men with lupus is 9:1. 1 In every 170 Americans has lupus. During the childbearing years the incidence of lupus in women is even higher. I personally know 6 men with lupus.

I am not sure what you mean by early onset of lupus. Lupus is a remitting/flaring disease and not necessarily progressive UNLESS YOU DON'T TREAT IT. Then your possible skin lupus can lead to systemic lupus in which your organs are affected. I have systemic lupus with kidney, heart, lungs, and bone marrow involvement. Not fun.

Some lupus rashes are very painful and some are just annoying. There is more than one kind of lupus skin disease.

If you do not trust the doctors where you live, then I strongly suggest you travel to get the appropriate diagnosis and medical care. Relying on a bunch of yahoo's to make a diagnosis that can affect the rest of your life seems like an inadequate solution.

Do you repeatedly expose your face to heat at work. If so, see the link as it can be mistaken as rosacea. I have it and have similar symtoms as you. I also cannot wear moisturizers or suntan lotions as they trap in heat and make the skin hotter. Whether you have rosacea or not, avoiding the rosacea triggers like alcohol, long showers, suntanning, etc will help a lot. Buy yourself a electric shaver. You don't want a close shave if you have irritated skin. I just bought a braun 360 and its really good for my sensitive skin. I used a blade for years and hated electrics.

Link:

ertythema means redness
skin atrophy means skin thinness

You can find information on a Lupus skin rash at the source indicated below.