Proud to be working with the Fairtrade Foundation
Made with organic ingredients and recipes
Akoma Skincare is rated great on Lupus
Systemic lupus is an illness of the immune system where it begins to attack itself causing inflammation and damage in the skin, joints, muscles and other organs. It’s a lifelong illness and there’s no cure.
Some types of lupus affect the skin and certain medicines can also cause lupus-like side effects.
Signs and symptoms
There is a milder type of lupus that usually just affects the skin, known as discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE). Symptoms include red and circular scaly marks on the skin. The person may also suffer hair loss in patches. It can be helpful to avoid direct sunlight.
Symptoms range from mild to severe, and many people will have long periods with few or no symptoms before having a sudden flare-up. They include:
- joint pain or swollen joints
- fever
- prolonged or extreme fatigue
- rash on the skin or a butterfly-shaped rash across the cheeks and nose
- ankle swelling and fluid accumulation
- swollen lymph glands
- hair loss
- anaemia
- mouth and nose ulcers
- pale or painful fingers or toes (Raynaud's phenomenon)
Lifestyle tips
Be careful in the sun as rashes may flare up when skin is exposed to the sun. Wearing sunglasses, a sunhat and sunscreen is advisable.
Take exercise such as walking, swimming and cycling. As well as improving the mood, exercise can prevent muscle wasting and lower the risk of developing osteoporosis.
Don't smoke. Smoking can have a negative impact on circulation and make lupus symptoms worse.
It can help to keep a record of symptoms, which parts of your body are affected and any situations or activities that seem to trigger symptoms.
Diet tips
People with lupus should follow a well-balanced diet and avoid alcohol. Alcohol can react with medication to cause stomach problems including ulcers.
Akoma recommends
To help the skin recover after Lupus, make sure you’re regularly applying omega fatty acids and vitamins that will increase the production of collagen.
Collagen helps your skin produce the cells that bond together when wounds or abrasions heal and boosts elastin.
Akoma Baobab Oil is high in omega 3, omega 6 and omega 9, making it extremely good for skin weakened from illness. Baobab oil is also rich in vitamin C and D that protects connective tissue and generally keeps your skin healthy.
During recovery, you should maintain the balance of vitamins that help your skin produce important cells. Akoma Palm Oil is naturally pro-vitamin A and vitamin E that keeps the skin healthy along with the linings of some parts of the body, such as the nose.
Akoma Palm Oil also has plenty of c which helps the elasticity of your skin.