What Is Autoimmune Disease?
An autoimmune disease is a disorder in which the body is attacking itself. Normally, white blood cells produce antibodies that attack harmful cells as they appear in the body. The opposite happens in autoimmune diseases. Antibodies attack healthy tissues instead of the harmful ones.
This causes many different symptoms that affect the joints, internal organs, and skin.
Clinic Hours
Thursday 7:45 am–5 pm
May be open on different days or hours to better meet your needs.
Location
Midvalley Health Center
243 E 6100 S
Murray, UT 84107
How Does Autoimmune Disease Affect the Skin?
Autoimmune diseases can affect many parts of your body—including your skin. Because it’s so visible, you can often see symptoms of autoimmune disease first on the skin.
Autoimmune Disease Symptoms
These autoimmune skin diseases can show in a variety of ways. Symptoms can include:
- rashes,
- blisters,
- lesions,
- fatigue, and
- scaly patches.
Find a Dermatologist Near You
Types of Autoimmune Skin Diseases
- Behcet's Disease
- Dermatitis Herpetiformis
- Dermatomyositis
- Lichen Planus
- Linear IgA Disease
- Lupus of the skin
- Morphea/Scleroderma
- Ocular Cicatricial pemphigoid
- Pemphigoid
- Pemphigus
- Vasculitis
Treatment for Autoimmune Skin Diseases
Autoimmune skin diseases cannot be cured, but we can help manage flare ups with treatment. Dermatology services at University of Utah Health offers a specialty autoimmune clinic designed to evaluate and treat patients with autoimmune conditions that affect their skin.
Our patients are treated by multiple board-certified dermatologists who specialize in autoimmune skin diseases. Our dermatologists give each patient extensive evaluation and treatment.
What Autoimmune Diseases Cause Blisters?
Healthy skin will only form a blister after your skin becomes damaged or dead. In skin suffering from an autoimmune blistering disease, your body's immune system mistakes normal skin tissue for something it needs to fight off, and then attacks this healthy skin tissue. This causes blisters to form.
Several autoimmune skin diseases are responsible for causing skin blistering, including:
- Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita
- IgA-mediated bullous dermatoses
- Ocular cicatricial pemphigoid
- Pemphigoid
- Pemphigus
Referrals for New Patients
If you are a new patient, you will need a referral from your current provider. Your referral should include your demographic information, including your name, date of birth, home address, phone number, and insurance company.
Records about your autoimmune history should be faxed to U of U Health at 801-581-4911 before your first appointment with us. These records should include clinic notes, biopsy reports, lab reports, diagnostic studies, radiographic studies, and treatments.
Please make sure your doctor faxes your referral to:
University of Utah
Department of Dermatology
Attn: Autoimmune Clinic
Phone: 801-581-2955, ask for autoimmune scheduling
Fax: 801-581-4911
We will review referral requests within 48 hours to make sure that the best dermatologist evaluates each case. We will contact new patients about an appointment.