M.D. Acute cutaneous lupus is a photosensitve dermatitis. People with ACLE usually have systemic complaints. ACLE appears to correlate with disease activity in individuals that have the malar rash. Treatment of ACLE is treatment of the underlying systemic disease.
Topical medication appear to do little.
The ACLE rash can last anywhere from a few days to months. After sun exposure, the rash may appear or intesify quite suddenly. DLE occurs most commonly between the ages of 20 and 40. The DLE lesion is usually raised or flat, red, with well-defined borders. SCLE is treated in the same way both SLE and DLE are treated.