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.

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.