Facial Lupus Vulgaris Exhibiting Recurrent Purulent Discharge: An Unusual Presentation

Cutaneous disorders can run a chronic course and can be quite disfiguring on the exposed body parts, such as the face and hands.Due to the low prevalence of cutaneous tuberculosis, physicians might be unfamiliar with unusual presentations, leading to such infections going undiagnosed for years.This case report highlights how facial lupus vulgaris, a chronic cutaneous Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, was diagnosed after a lapse of considerable time.Classically, lupus vulgaris is characterised by erythematous to brown-coloured plaques with overlying scaling and areas of scarring.However, in the current case, there was minimal scaling.The significant feature was recurrent pus discharge from the lesions, which is scarcely reported in the medical literature.This atypical presentation led to the progression of lesions on most parts of the face, including the nasal mucosa.It caused significant disfigurement with resultant low self-esteem and social isolation of the patient.