Question:medium

A 26-year-old female presents with oral ulcers, photosensitivity and a malar (butterfly) rash on the face that spares the nasolabial folds on both sides. What is the most likely diagnosis?

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Young woman, oral ulcers, photosensitivity, malar rash sparing nasolabial folds equals lupus.
Updated On: Jun 23, 2026
  • Sturge-Weber syndrome
  • SLE
  • Dermatitis
  • Psoriasis
Show Solution

The Correct Option is B

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Build a checklist from the stem: young female, oral ulcers, photosensitivity, malar rash sparing the nasolabial folds.
Step 2: Each of these is a recognised classification feature of lupus. The nasolabial-fold sparing is the detail that distinguishes the lupus butterfly rash from rashes such as seborrhoeic dermatitis, which tend to involve those folds.
Step 3: Test the rivals. Sturge-Weber gives a facial capillary malformation with neurological signs, not an autoimmune photosensitive rash. Plain dermatitis and psoriasis are skin-limited and would not explain the mucosal ulcers and light sensitivity together.
Step 4: The full picture points to one multisystem autoimmune disease.
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