Malar Sun Face Skin Rash - Not Lupus ?!?!

Malar Sun Face Skin Rash - Not Lupus ?!?

For most of my young life, i'm now 23 female, i have had a sun rash that a doctor has recently said is the malar rash that is associated with Lupus. My mother also has severe rheumatoid arthritis, I had a lab testing done last week, ana test, that showed negative for Lupus. I have this skin sun rash that develops on my checks & across the bridge of my nose, whenever i'm out in the sun, it stays for about a week, before fading out. It's not itchy-has no bumps, no pain, etc. Just is a very red-burnt look. I have also been experiencing chronic headaches, i have an appointment made with a dermatologist soon to determine what else the cause might be, is it possible to test negative for lupus & still have it?, what other testing may be done? what other possible solution to my sun rash is there? Thank You.

Hi, Im sorry yor going through this. I am going to explain a few things. First Lupus is what is called an autoimmune disease, where our own healthy cells think somthing is wrong go into overdrive and start attcking our own cells. Next, there are several types of Lupus, the two I willl cover are Discoid (which only attacks the skin), the other is SLE (Systemic Lupus/entire body). For a diagnosis of SLE there are 11 critera that needs to be met. I will list them at the end. however most dr's have not gotten that for some reason. they tend to just look at the blood work and look at the blood markers for antibodies, mainly somthing called ANA. The fact is healthy people can have a positive ANA all the time, and not be ill at all, and people with Lupus may have a positive ANA sometimes (I do sometiems) or never. But to doctors, that seems to be the end all, escpecially early on, and during the first couple of visits. A malar rash, just dosent happen to healthy people. Only if they dont sunscreen that area and they do sunscreen the rest of their face. It has been documented that 5-10% may never have the positive blood work. another 20% will have it occasionally, and it can change on a day to day basis. So while you where negative that day, you can be positive another. The critera and mindset most doctors still use is from a critera used and created in 1982 over 20 years ago, before you were born.
Also Migranes run heavily in Lupus and other autoimmune paitents, and can fall under the Central Nervous System critera. A dermatologist, may want to biopsy that area of your face. a good one, will be able to take little skin, and leave little scarring. It sounds like you meet the photosensitivity part of Lupus as well. so thats three. You need to see a Rhumotologist, and they need to observe you over months. a diagnosis can take months or even a year. You need to get a good history of your health. write it down, to present to a doctor, you may not know what is relevant. I personally went through 4 rhuemotologists until I found 1 that actually listened took a life history (not all problems have to occur at the same time. As for a solution you should avoid the sun, or wear a 30 or more sun screen. and avoid the sun from noon to 4 pm. I have some issues with the sun, and have a pool. I try not to swim during those hours. I am going to provide you a list of the Lupus diagnostic critera, see if any of it applies to you, if it does now, or in the past, make sure you tell your dr. also your Blood test can change at anytime. Mine change all the time, depending of how active my Lupus is.
Diagnostic critera from Yahoo health :
Diagnostic criteria for lupus
The following criteria are used to distinguish lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus, or SLE) from other autoimmune and rheumatic diseases.

A person with 4 of these 11 conditions can be diagnosed with lupus; 3 symptoms suggest that lupus is probably present, and 2 raise the possibility of lupus. Symptoms may be present all at once or appear in succession over a period of time. 1

Butterfly (malar) rash on cheeks
Rash on face, arms, neck, torso (discoid rash)
Skin rashes that result from exposure to sunlight or ultraviolet light (photosensitivity)
Mouth or nasal ulcers, usually painless
Joint swelling, stiffness, pain involving two or more joints (arthritis)
Inflammation of the membranes surrounding the lungs (pleuritis) or heart (pericarditis). This inflammation is called serositis.
Abnormalities in urine, such as increased protein or clumps of red blood cells or kidney cells, called cell casts, in the urine
Nervous system problems, such as seizures or psychosis, without known cause
Problems with the blood, such as reduced numbers of red blood cells (anemia), platelets, or white blood cells
Positive antinuclear antibody (ANA) test
Signs of increased autoimmunity (antibodies against normal tissue), as shown by laboratory tests
References

I have had Lupus since my teens but was not officially diagnosed until my late 20's, Im now almost 40. I also am a researcher, and own a Lupus and autoimmune support group
Good Luck
Chris