The 411 on Lupus
A look at how the disease affects African-Americans.
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Understanding Lupus - The recent death of natural hair blogger Domineque Banks, 27, shows just how deadly lupus can be. But do you know what lupus is? Read more about this autoimmune disease, how it affects us and Black celebrities who are living with it. —(@kelleent) Kellee Terrell (Photo: Longhairdontcare2011 via Youtube)
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What Is Lupus? - Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that wreaks havoc on the skin, joints and organs. Normally, one’s immune system fights off infections by creating antibodies to protect from such “invaders” by attacking them. Yet with lupus, your immune system can’t tell the difference between healthy tissues or invaders, so they attack everything including healthy tissue.(Photo: GettyImages)
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Types of Lupus - There are three types of lupus: One that affects certain parts of the body (systemic lupus erythematosus); lupus that mainly affects the skin (discoid or cutaneous lupus), and lupus that is caused by medicine (drug-induced lupus). (Photo: BIOPHOTO ASSOCIATES/GettyImages)
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What Are the Symptoms? - Lupus looks different in different people and it can also look like another illness, which makes it hard to diagnose. Some common symptoms include: fever and fatigue; joint pain and stiffness; rashes; lesions; chest pain; blue or white fingers when its cold; dry eyes; headaches; confusion and memory loss to name a few. (Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
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Risk Factors - According to Mayo Clinic, the most common risk factors for lupus are gender (9 out of 10 people with lupus are women); age (lupus can impact anyone, but most people are diagnosed between the ages of 15-40); and race (lupus is more common among African-Americans, Asians and Latinos).(Photo: Mint Images - Tim Robbins/Getty Images)
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What Causes Lupus? - Doctors are not 100 percent sure, but they believe that lupus is triggered by a combination of genetics and environment. Some of us may be genetically predisposed to lupus, which rears its head by either an infection, reaction to medication or in some cases even sunlight. (Photo: Siri Stafford/Getty Images)
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African-Americans and Lupus - Lupus can affect anyone, but it’s more common among Blacks. Black women are three times more likely to have lupus than white women. Lupus also hits Black women harder and younger. A 2013 study found that Black women were more likely to have more severe complications including kidney failure. (Photo: GettyImages)
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How Serious Is Lupus? - Severity depends on the person. Some people can have mild symptoms and rarely be hospitalized, while others like Banks can succumb to the disease because of complications. Treatment, however, can make a huge difference in lupus outcomes for some. (Photo: Fuse/Getty Images)
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What Are the Complications? - One of the major lupus complications is inflammation. With lupus, constant inflammation can cause damage to the brain, kidneys, heart, lungs and blood vessels. Other complications include infections, increase risk for cancer, bone tissue death and pregnancy complications. (Photo: SCIEPRO/GettyImages)
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Is There a Cure? - Unfortunately, there is no cure for lupus, but there is treatment that can help lessen the symptoms. Treatment options differ for people with lupus. It can range from creams for lesions and rashes, aspirin for joint pain and swelling, immune system suppressants and steroids. (Photo: Patrick Lane/GettyImages)