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Introduction: Systemic lupus erythematosus affects the skin and mucosa in approximately 70% of patients diagnosed with the disease.

1. Cutaneous lupus lesions often help clinicians diagnose systemic lupus and are associated with worse disease prognosis
2. Patients with skin of color and lupus are exposed to even greater risk, as they are diagnosed at younger ages with more severe disease than their white counterparts
3. These factors make early recognition of cutaneous findings, timely diagnosis, and prompt treatment among all patients essential for optimizing disease outcomes.