My Skin Journey with Lupus SLE: From Pain to Healing
I don’t need to tell anyone who is warrioring lupus SLE about the effects it can have on our skin and on our emotional wellbeing. We all have our own struggles that come with lupus SLE, and every warrior has a different journey. Today, though, I want to hover over one part of my journey that has affected me deeply, both physically and emotionally. One of the most familiar signs of lupus is the malar “butterfly” rash across the face.
For me, it appears as a butterfly stain, with a small body over my nose and the wings spreading across my cheeks. About two years after it first appeared, I noticed that the skin over the affected area was becoming extremely dry. It felt uncomfortable, tight and almost as though my skin was struggling to protect itself. I tried a number of different products, searching for something that would help. Eventually, I discovered Beauté Pacifique. I started using Crème Métamorphique and, after about six months, I began noticing a difference. My face started calming down. The extreme dryness was no longer such a constant battle, and the butterfly stain became far less prominent because my overall skin has calmed down. Eight years later, Crème Métamorphique is still my go-to product every day.
For me, finding something that my skin responded well to made a huge difference — the product contains Vitamin A ,some vitamin A skincare products can irritate sensitive skin, I have been using a different Vitamin A product for years, my skin has gradually become accustomed to it. About seven years ago, another chapter of my skin journey began. I started developing inflamed skin ulcers. It is difficult to explain just how painful and uncomfortable they were. I didn’t want to go out in public when my skin was inflamed. Always remember that persistent or infected-looking ulcers need medical assessment They would itch and burn at the same time, creating an almost continuous discomfort that became exhausting. There were days when I couldn’t stop thinking about my skin because it demanded my attention constantly.
Doctors prescribed specially compounded cortisone ointments. They helped to a point, but eventually their effectiveness seemed to decrease and every time stronger treatment was needed. When the inflamed ulcer settled down and stopped leaking pus, I still had another 10 to 14 days of waiting for the skin to close properly. The scars left behind were, for me, one of the hardest parts. Learning to care for my skin differently was the only way. Because I had already experienced such good results with Beauté Pacifique on my face, I decided to explore whether some of their other products could help support my skin as it recovered. I started using Xtra Dry Skin Fix to help with the extreme dryness and the flaky skin that developed around the areas where the ulcers were. Once the skin was completely healed, I started using Scars & Stripes also from Beauté Pacifique to help care for the scars on my legs.
I never expected a miracle overnight. It was a process. But today, when I look at my legs, I can see just how far my skin has come. I have only a handful of small scars left, and around 80-90% of the scars that once covered my legs have faded away completely. For someone who lived through years of painful ulcers and the marks they left behind, that means a lot. Finding products, I can keep coming back to that a real turning point for me, to be able to cope also with everyday skin issues with Lupus SLE. Our skin can change. It can become dry, irritated, sensitive, inflamed or simply difficult to manage. Having products that I personally feel comfortable using has become an important part of my daily routine. And recently, I added another part of the Beauté Pacifique range to my routine — Equilibrium PURE BODY BALANCE. This has become part of looking at my wellbeing from another angle — not only what I put on my skin, but how I care for myself from within. I feel different in my skin when I feel that I am giving my body the support it needs. My skin journey is part of my lupus journey.
Living with lupus is not just about the diagnosis. It is the little things. The skin that suddenly changes. The itching. The burning. The ulcers. The scars.
The days when you don’t want to wear shorts because you don’t want people looking at your legs.
The frustration of trying product after product. The emotional impact of looking in the mirror and not recognising the skin you once had.
But it is also about finding things that help you feel like you again. For me, caring for my skin has become part of reclaiming that confidence.
I can wake up in the morning and choose to live. From surviving to living. My lupus journey hasn’t disappeared. I am still a lupus warrior. I still have difficult days.
My body still reminds me that lupus is part of my life. But lupus doesn’t get to decide what my entire life looks like.
Your skin may be part of your lupus story, but it does not have to be the end of your story.
Keep searching for what works for you. Keep advocating for yourself. Keep caring for your
body. And never underestimate how powerful it can feel when you finally look in the mirror and see healing instead of hurt.
From one lupus warrior to another — keep fighting, keep healing, and keep living.💜