Lupus: The Malar/Butterfly Rash

Lupus is an inflammatory disease of multiple organs in the body. A common sign of involvement of the skin is the malar or butterfly rash. The association between the malar/butterfly rash and lupus is so strong that appearance of a rash that resembles a malar rash causes many people to anxiously contact their healthcare providers seeking an explanation. Most people who develop malar rashes can rest assured that they do not have lupus, since the most common cause of malar rash is not lupus. Developing a rash on the cheeks that resemble the malar rash of lupus is less of a source of anxiety if one is acquainted with the causes of a malar rash. Lupus, while being one of the causes of malar/butterfly rash, is not a definite diagnosis every time a person develops a malar rash. People should therefore not attribute every rash on the cheek to lupus. A thorough medical evaluation is crucial for ruling out lupus in cases that are suspicious for lupus.