Losing some of my hair was difficult for me because at that point we weren’t sure what was wrong. Also, having the skin rash was very upsetting and I still have to deal with the scars, but it could be a lot worse. Mya Campbell, developed lupus in her teens

Lupus, a disease of the immune system, affects people of African descent disproportionately to the rest of the population. But although 90 per cent of sufferers are aged between 15 and 55, many young women in their teens and twenties have had to cope with the illness.

Common symptoms of lupus include hair loss and skin rashes, which are not welcomed by any women but can be devastating for beauty conscious teenagers, increasing the stress factor of living with the disease. The hair loss can vary from small bald patches which can leave scarring in the scalp, to complete baldness.

Twenty-two year old Mya Campbell was diagnosed with systemic lupus – a form of the disease where the internal organs are affected – when she was just 14 years old. She told Black Britain: “The worst time for me was when I was first diagnosed. Losing some of my hair was difficult for me because at that point we weren’t sure what was wrong. Also, having the skin rash was very upsetting and I still have to deal with the scars, but it could be a lot worse.”

Mya was prescribed medication including prednisolone and hydroxychloroquine sulphate to keep the illness under control. She also sought out ways of adapting to the symptoms: “I do wear makeup cause I’m a bit of a perfectionist but I think that’s the same for most girls, always wanting to look your best.” She even tried skin resurfacing at a Harley Street clinic to remove pigmentation and even out her skin tone which bore traces of the dark scars. But the treatment was costly.

“My hair grew back by itself so I didn’t really seek out any products, just continued with my regular products,” she said. Mya also took part in a drugs trial which meant she had to inject herself three times a week. Asked how she coped with lupus through school and university, she explained: “Lupus; didn’t really affect my studies that much as when I was at university I had it under control. But it affected me more during my secondary school days during my GCSE’s because I had to take more time off school during early diagnosis, which meant I had to catch up on work that I missed during my absence from school which was hard at times.”

Stresses of living with lupus as a teenager

The worst part of being diagnosed was having the skin rashes, as they were so bright that everyone would stare at me and say “what is that on your face?” “Is it catching?” Yasmin Barracks Yasmin Barracks

In speaking to Mya about her experiences with lupus, it was only too easy for me to empathise with her, as I too was diagnosed with lupus in my teens at the age of 13. First I started to lose my hair and then I developed what medics refer to as the ‘butterfly rash’ - a bright purple rash across my nose and cheeks, in the palms of my hands and on the soles of my feet. I also caught a bad virus that affected my lupus really bad at the age of 14, resulting in my not being able to walk for six weeks and having to do physiotherapy in order to learn to walk again.

The worst part of being diagnosed was having the skin rashes, as they were so bright that everyone would stare at me and say “what is that on your face?” “Is it catching?” I used to wear make up every day from the age of 13 to 20, until one day I decided that anyone who doesn’t accept me doesn’t deserve to be around me.

Dr Jennifer Worrall, a consultant Rheumatologist explained that in order to avoid relapses: “People with lupus need to lead a regular healthy life, with balanced meals and the correct amount of exercise. If they are prescribed medication it should be taken regularly as advised by their doctor. Regular attendance at the hospital clinic will help to identify any new problems early so that they can be treated before they become too serious.”

When speaking to Mya about how she copes with lupus, she told me: “I try not to let it affect my life - it doesn’t really stop me from doing much. Occasionally I would miss uni or school when I was younger but that’s about it. In fact it makes me more determined to do things - I don’t like the thought that I’m unable to do things because I have Lupus, so if anything I have more energy. I would say that lupus is more of a nuisance than anything.”

I guess that my resolve is pretty much the same – lupus has become part of my normal, everyday life. I know I will have the disease for the rest of my life, but it is only part of my life and not my whole life.