Footwear and Clothing

There are different seasons for different clothing’s but especially for people living with lupus. I learned that a long time ago when I started to have discoid lupus. When I was diagnosed with discoid lupus, my skin would flare really bad and I would end up have rashes that resembled third-degree burns. So, for every season I have different changes.

Switch up seasonal wear

Sometimes in the wintertime, I dress like it's summer a little because it is cooler, but then my Raynaud syndrome becomes a little more serious. Then in the summer I sometimes dress like I am in the wintertime just because the sun attacks my skin way worse in the wintertime. Then the scars we carry can pretty much bring insecurities in any person while wearing an outfit.

Consider weight changes

If I am retaining fluid I always keep clothes that are three times bigger than my normal size because I would flare and retain fluid and gain weight. But when I lose that weight I tend to have to go shopping for smaller clothes because I have no clothes that I can fit.

Clothing and skincare

For special reasons, my dermatologist tells me to wear long-sleeved shirts but if I wear sunscreen it is not an issue. Activewear and comfort wear is the best clothes for me to wear because I am most comfortable in these clothes any time of the year.

Some people may look at me strangely but some people will not understand what I go through and what my body reveals underneath the layers of clothing that I am wearing. When I started to wear clothing and learning about my skin through hard times, I would have to wear clothes that would not stick to my skin when I sweat because when my skin is sensitive it attaches to my skin, and it will rip my skin and I will bleed badly. Sometimes I have to make sure to avoid certain clothes that make me sweat too much because they create wounds that look like bedsores.

Lather up to avoid a flare-up

Clothes and hygiene play a special part in your lupus. I usually only use shea butter or cocoa butter soap. Everything else I use is non-scented. I place my perfume on my clothes instead of my body so I do not have an allergic reaction or flare-up. Of course, sometimes you can't obviously. You can't wear a turtle neck in the summertime because of course, you will feel like you are about to pass out, so the best thing is to make sure you wear sunscreen in case you want to show that summer body.

Weather makes a difference

Especially with climate and weather changing, it feels like it is hotter than anything these days. Lately, it feels like it's 100 degrees most of the time. This weather can have a strain on us lupus patients and our lives because now we do not want to risk going outside especially when it is too hot outside for our bodies. So just be mindful of what clothing you think suits you best, but be cautious.

Find what footwear works best for you

For footwear, I wear shoes that have really great cushions in the soles of the feet because my feet blister easily. Living in Louisiana, we have a lot of festivities going on that will make my feet blister really quickly, especially if I have been in a flare-up. So I tend to get a lot of Nike shoes and huaraches shoes. Adidas are great shoes to wear also. In the summertime, I try and minimize wearing sandals sometimes because I end up with flares on my feet.

It is all about recognizing the signs your body might give you that morning when you wake up, as to how your day might be, and what to wear.