Woman rides biking finding relief from dry skin by treating autoimmune disorder

What Is a Common Sign of an Autoimmune Disorder?

Autoimmune disorders can affect your whole body. Among the 80+ disorders that have been identified, dry, scaly skin is a common sign. 

Conditions of autoimmune disorders can be commonly undiagnosed until the symptoms become unmanageable. Here is a breakdown of the most common autoimmune disorder symptoms. 

What Are The Most Common Autoimmune Disorder Symptoms? 

Every disorder has its own set of symptoms, but a few signs are common among many disorders. Some noticeable symptoms may include: 

  • Skin problems
  • Chronic fatigue
  • Joint swelling and pain
  • Digestion issues or pain in the abdomen
  • Frequent fever
  • Swollen glands
  • Sluggishness
  • Insomnia
  • Unable to lose weight
  • Cold hands and feet
  • Depression
  • Brain fog
  • Anxiety
  • Heart palpitations

Which Autoimmune Disorders Cause Skin Problems? 

Since autoimmune disorders can affect your whole body, your skin is also at risk. The following are conditions that commonly affect your skin: 

  • Eczema: These patches can show up anywhere on your body, especially on your elbows, hands, and back of your knees. They will often be red and dry, which can lead to painful cracking. 
  • Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis: Your body’s inflammation response may be acting up, leading to too many skin cells being produced, which means your skin cells grow and die much more rapidly than healthy skin cells.
  • Scleroderma: If you have scleroderma, it affects your whole body and causes your immune system to attack your muscles, blood vessels, and major organs.
  • Thyroid Diseases: Several types of thyroid conditions are classified as autoimmune disorders, affecting the thickness of your skin and skin peeling.
  • Type 1 Diabetes: This type of diabetes affects the small blood vessels, which often develop skin problems that look brown and scaly. 
  • Lupus: Lupus is another type of disorder that causes problems with the skin looking like a butterfly-shaped rash, and can affect the joints, blood, kidneys, brain, heart, and lungs.
Read More About Autoimmune Disorders and Dry Skin