Dermatitis herpetiformis Dermatitis herpetiformis is a chronic skin condition caused by a reaction to ingesting gluten (Case-Lo, 2018). Extremely itchy bumps or blisters appear on both sides of the body, most often on the forearms near the elbows, as well as on knees and buttocks, and along the hairline. Linear IgA disease Linear IgA disease is a blistering autoimmune disease in which blisters form in the skin and mucous membranes (DermNet, n.d.). Round or oval blisters filled with clear fluid may arise from normal-looking skin or from red flat or elevated patches. The blisters may be small or large. Typically, the blisters are arranged in rings and may form a target shape. Secondary lesions include crusts, scratch marks, sores, and ulcers. Lupus Lupus is a long-term autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system becomes hyperactive and attacks normal, healthy tissue (Mayo Clinic, 2023). Symptoms include inflammation; swelling; and damage to the joints, skin, kidneys, blood, heart, and lungs. The signs and symptoms of lupus will depend on which body systems are affected by the disease. The most common signs and symptoms include fatigue, fever, joint pain, stiffness, and swelling. Additional symptoms include a butterfly-shaped rash on the face that covers the cheeks and bridge of the nose or rashes elsewhere on the body, skin lesions that appear or worsen with sun exposure, fingers and toes that turn white or blue when exposed to cold or during stressful periods, shortness of breath, chest pain, dry eyes, headaches, confusion, and memory loss. Alopecia areata is a common autoimmune disorder that often results in unpredictable hair loss (NIAMSD, 2022). In many cases, hair falls out in small patches around the size of a quarter. For most people, hair loss is nothing more than a few patches, though in some cases it can be more extreme. Sometimes, it can lead to the complete loss of hair on the scalp (alopecia totalis) or, in extreme cases, the entire body (alopecia universalis). Lupus Lupus causes widespread inflammation that usually involves the skin, particularly on the face and scalp (Mayo Clinic, 2023). Lupus can cause the hair on the scalp to gradually thin out, and some people lose clumps of hair. Loss of eyebrow, eyelash, beard, and body hair also is possible. In most cases, the hair will grow back when the lupus is treated. Some people with lupus develop round lesions on the scalp. Because these discoid lesions scar the hair follicles, they do cause permanent hair loss. Lupus can also
Vasculitis Vasculitis is an inflammation of the blood vessels (Mayo Clinic, 2023). It happens when the body's immune system mistakenly attacks the blood vessels. Vasculitis can affect arteries, veins, and capillaries. Symptoms can vary but usually include fever, swelling, and a general sense of feeling ill. Behcet’s disease Behcet’s disease is a rare disorder that causes blood vessel inflammation throughout the body (Mayo Clinic, 2023). This can include vessels in the mouth sores, eye inflammation, skin rashes and lesions, and genital sores. The areas commonly affected are the mouth, skin, genitals, eyes, joints, blood vessels, digestive system, and brain. Lichen planus Lichen planus is a condition that can cause swelling and irritation in the skin, hair, nails, and mucous membranes (Mayo Clinic, 2023). On the skin, lichen planus usually appears as purplish, itchy, flat bumps that develop over several weeks. In the mouth, vagina, and other areas covered by a mucous membrane, lichen planus forms lacy white patches, sometimes with painful sores. The signs and symptoms of lichen planus vary depending on the areas affected. Typical signs and symptoms are purplish, flat bumps, most often on the inner forearm, wrist, or ankle, and sometimes the genitals. Symptoms can also include itching, blisters that break to form scabs or crusts, lacy white patches in the mouth or on the lips or tongue, painful sores in the mouth or vagina, hair loss, change in scalp color, and nail damage or loss. cause the scalp hair along the hairline to become fragile and break off easily, leaving a ragged appearance known as lupus hair. Graves’ disease Graves’ disease affects the thyroid. Hair loss can occur when the thyroid gland is not working correctly (NIDDKD, n.d.). Thyroid hormone plays an essential role in the development and maintenance of hair follicles. Follicles are the small pockets under the skin from which hairs grow. Severe or prolonged hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism may result in Scalp psoriasis itself doesn’t cause hair loss, but scratching a lot or very hard, picking at the scaly spots, harsh treatments, and the stress that goes along with the condition can lead to temporary hair loss (Mayo Clinic, 2023). The hair usually grows back after the skin clears. hair loss. Psoriasis
The following are autoimmune diseases related to hair loss Alopecia areata
HOW AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES AFFECT THE SKIN
Autoimmune disorders and the skin Depending on the condition, an autoimmune disorder can affect a variety of organs, joints, and muscles, or other bodily tissues (Barhum, 2023). One tissue that’s commonly affected by autoimmune disorders is the skin. Issues and symptoms involving the skin are more visible and are a telltale sign of an autoimmune disease. The skin issues caused by autoimmune diseases are as different as the people with the various conditions. They come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and textures, and they can appear anywhere from the head to the toes. Some individuals may have autoimmune disorders that primarily affect the skin, such as
psoriasis, dermatomyositis, scleroderma, or epidermolysis bullosa. Others may experience skin issues as a symptom or side effect of medication. Rashes, blisters, lesions, scaly patches, and discoloration are all factors that affect the skin. For example, people with lupus may experience a butterfly rash called a malar rash, which may spread over the nose and cheeks in the shape of a butterfly (Barhum, 2023). The butterfly rash can be just a faint blush or a very severe, scaly rash. The sun's ultraviolet rays can trigger it and make it worse. They also experience sores and rashes. Some may be coin-shaped (called discoid lupus), or an
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