Lupus: understand the mysterious disease affecting several celebrities

Selena Gomez revealed her lupus diagnosis in 2015 and has been one of the most famous faces of the disease ever since. The star has had to take breaks from her career to undergo treatment and became severely ill on several occasions. In an interview with Vogue, she recalled the difficulty of struggling with her illness, her mental health issues, and the nasty media stories circulating about her. During one period Gomez even underwent chemotherapy to treat the disease. Certain low-dose chemotherapy drugs have been found to help combat lupus.

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Selena Gomez -

In 2014, the media stated that Selena Gomez was in rehab for drug and alcohol addiction. In fact, she was being treated for lupus.

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Selena Gomez - In September of 2017, Selena had a kidney transplant owing to Lupus. The organ donator was a friend of hers.

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Lady Gaga -

In 2010, Lady Gaga said that she had tested positive for lupus. At the time, however, the singer showed no signs of the condition.

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Lady Gaga - In September 2017, Lady Gaga was unable to travel to a show in Rio de Janeiro and even cancelled her 2018 tour in Europe due to complications related to the disease and also due to suffering from fibromyalgia.

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Seal - The singer, who is also Heidi Klum's ex-husband, has scars on his face which come from a type of lupus called discoid lupus erythematosus, which affected his skin.

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Seal - Discoid lupus erythematosus causes skin sores on the face and scalp, but it can also affect the skin and any part of the body, even causing hair loss. People suffering from this type of lupus are much more sensitive to UV light and must be careful with exposure to the sun.

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Toni Braxton - Toni Braxton was diagnosed with lupus in 2008 and began to take medication in 2011.

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Toni Braxton - She's been hospitalized multiple times due to complications stemming from the disease, having to cancel various tour dates.

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Tim Raines - The baseball player sought medical help for a serious strain in 1999 when he was playing for Oakland Athletics. He had swollen knees and ankles and was heavier than normal, suggesting that his body was retaining water. His doctor carried out a biopsy on his kidney and diagnosed him with lupus.

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Tim Raines - The disease was attacking the player's kidneys, causing an imbalance of water and salt in his body. His condition was serious, but he recovered with radiotherapy and medication. Raines even returned to the baseball pitch with the Montreal Expos in 2001, and retired in 2002 with the Florida Marlins.

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Cori Broadus - The daughter of rapper Snoop Dogg, Cori Broadus, showed signs of lupus on her skin, and lost weight and her hair when she was six in 2005.

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Cori Broadus - According to People magazine in 2010, Cori now plays softball and volleyball, as well as attending school. She takes various medications to keep the disease under control.

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Learn more about lupus -

Lupus is an autoimmune disease which affects connective tissue in the body. Its causes are unknown. The disorder causes the immune system to attack its own cells and body tissue, causing inflammation and tissue damage. A person with lupus usually suffers active phases, where symptoms become apparent, and periods of remission, where no symptoms are visible.

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Predominantly female - The disease affects more women than men (8 out of 10 carriers of the condition are female), and it is usually spotted during their most fertile years.

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Age - The first symptoms appear between the ages of 20 and 40, but most commonly around the age of 30.

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Location - The disease is more common in tropical countries, where sunlight is stronger.

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Darker skin tones - Lupus cases appear in 1 out of 700 white women and 1 out of 245 black women in the USA.

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Types of lupus: discoid -

This form of the disease is limited to the skin only. It's identified by inflamed rashes which appear on the face, nape of the neck, and scalp. Approximately 10% of discoid lupus cases can develop into systemic lupus.

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Types of lupus: systemic - This is usually more serious than discoid lupus and can affect almost all bodily systems and organs. Some people experience sores on the skin and in the joints, others can be affected in the kidneys, heart, lungs or blood.

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Types of lupus: drug-induced - Drug-induced lupus erythematosus results from the use of certain drugs or medication. The list of possible drugs responsible includes over 100 options, the most well-known being procainamide and hydralazine. The symptoms are very similar to those of systemic lupus.

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First symptoms - A high temperature is one of the first symptoms of the disease.

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First symptoms - Feeling unwell accompanies the fever.

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First symptoms - Inflamed joints are also an early sign of the disease, followed by inflammation of the lungs (pleurisy).

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First symptoms - The inflammation of the lymph nodes is also a common symptom.

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First symptoms - All these inflammations cause pain throughout the body.

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First symptoms - Red marks on the skin are another symptom during this stage of the appearance of the illness. Mouth ulcers and thrush can also appear.

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Prevention -

Always seek expert help! Early detection can prevent severe damage to the heart, joints, skin, lungs, blood vessels, liver, kidneys, and nervous system. The development of the disease is affected by genetic predisposition, as well as emotional and environmental factors such as ultraviolet light, and certain kinds of medication.

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Nick Cannon - In January 2012, the rapper and TV presenter was hospitalized for kidney failure, and a few weeks later was treated for blood clots which damaged his lungs.

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Nick Cannon - It was then that Nick Cannon was diagnosed with lupus. He led the Lupus Foundation of America's Walk to End Lupus Now in Washington, D.C. in 2014, in support against the disease.

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Selena Gomez -

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Selena Gomez -

In 2014, the media stated that Selena Gomez was in rehab for drug and alcohol addiction. In fact, she was being treated for lupus.

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Selena Gomez - In September of 2017, Selena had a kidney transplant owing to Lupus. The organ donator was a friend of hers.

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Lady Gaga -

In 2010, Lady Gaga said that she had tested positive for lupus. At the time, however, the singer showed no signs of the condition.

Getty Images

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Seal - The singer, who is also Heidi Klum's ex-husband, has scars on his face which come from a type of lupus called discoid lupus erythematosus, which affected his skin.

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Toni Braxton - Toni Braxton was diagnosed with lupus in 2008 and began to take medication in 2011.

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Toni Braxton - She's been hospitalized multiple times due to complications stemming from the disease, having to cancel various tour dates.

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Cori Broadus - The daughter of rapper Snoop Dogg, Cori Broadus, showed signs of lupus on her skin, and lost weight and her hair when she was six in 2005.

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Cori Broadus - According to People magazine in 2010, Cori now plays softball and volleyball, as well as attending school. She takes various medications to keep the disease under control.

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Learn more about lupus -

Shutterstock

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Predominantly female - The disease affects more women than men (8 out of 10 carriers of the condition are female), and it is usually spotted during their most fertile years.

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Age - The first symptoms appear between the ages of 20 and 40, but most commonly around the age of 30.

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Location - The disease is more common in tropical countries, where sunlight is stronger.

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Darker skin tones - Lupus cases appear in 1 out of 700 white women and 1 out of 245 black women in the USA.

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Types of lupus: discoid -

Shutterstock

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First symptoms - A high temperature is one of the first symptoms of the disease.

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First symptoms - Feeling unwell accompanies the fever.

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First symptoms - Inflamed joints are also an early sign of the disease, followed by inflammation of the lungs (pleurisy).

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First symptoms - The inflammation of the lymph nodes is also a common symptom.

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First symptoms - All these inflammations cause pain throughout the body.

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First symptoms - Red marks on the skin are another symptom during this stage of the appearance of the illness. Mouth ulcers and thrush can also appear.

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Prevention -

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