Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

swelling/welts on my face

I have swelling on my face on both cheeks, upper eye area by my brows all the way down to my eyes, under my eyes, and on my forehead distributed equally on both sides of my face (the swelling is the same on both sides of my face to where it looks like an exact duplicate of welting on both sides of the face).  This is one month past and it still is there.  Some days are better than others as far as how swollen the welts get but on average, it is always there and basically one side or the other or both sides are always swollen.  No itch, slight redness only on my cheeks but I think my cheeks have always been slightly red to begin with, no pain, slightly warm in the cheek area the first week it started but now none, no external rash, just smooth on the surface but internally something is happening.  I have been on bacterial antibiotics, oral steroids, topical hydrocortisone 2.5. Elidel, Allegra, Benadryl and had blood work done twice with negative results.  Nothing is helping.  Have you ever heard of this or can you recommend what type of doctor I should try to see for something like this.  I have not wore makeup or anything on my skin since all this began.  Please help me.  
2 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
Thank you very much for responding back right away.  I have had 2 blood tests done looking for Lupus.  Would a specific type of blood work need to be done for Discoid Lupus or just a general blood work looking for any type of Lupus be okay.  Should I request my blood be sent to another lab?  The reason I ask is that I live in a small community and lately there has been an outbreak of Viral Meningitus here but as our newspaper noted yesterday, the lab tests of a lot of these young kids that are getting this Virus have come out negative at first for Meningitus.  I'm not sure what the situation is but could it be that the people reading the results have missed something or the test done improperly sometimes?   I think the ones that came out positive were taken at the Hospital here but I'm not sure about the others and where the tests were done at first.  Could it be that I should get another blood work done on Lupus and have my doctor send the lab work to be done to another lab just to rule out Discoid Lupus for sure?  What are your thoughts?  You sound like a doctor that takes your job seriously and really cares for others well being.  Thank you for that!!!!!!!!!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi

It is difficult to comment on the cause for these symptoms without actually examining the patient. However, from the description given by you, it seems you might be having an autoimmune skin condition called Discoid lupus erythematosus, that causes a red, raised rash on the face and scalp. Around 1–5% of these cases develop into Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

In discoid lupus, only the skin is typically involved. The rash is usually red and may have raised borders. It is usually painless and does not itch. The rash is photosensitive, which means it can be precipitated or worsened by exposure to sunlight.

Patients with SLE can develop different combinations of symptoms due to multiple organ involvement. This rash is also characteristic of SLE and frequently referred to as the "butterfly rash" of SLE.

SLE is much more common in women than men. The cause of SLE is unknown. However, heredity, viruses, ultraviolet light, and drugs may have some role.

You should consult a dermatologist for a proper diagnosis and management. There is no specific cure.  The treatment of is directed toward decreasing inflammation and the level of autoimmunity and also involves some lifestyle changes.

Take care

Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Dermatology Community

Top Dermatology Answerers
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Learn to identify and prevent bites from summer’s most common pests.
Doctors argue for legislation to curb this dangerous teen trend in the latest Missouri Medicine report.
10 ways to keep your skin healthy all winter long
How to get rid of lumpy fat on your arms, hips, thighs and bottom
Diet “do’s” and “don’ts” for healthy, radiant skin.
Images of rashes caused by common skin conditions