Seal has prominent scars on his face, which are the result of a type of lupus called discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE), a chronic skin condition that affects the skin above the neck). DLE is an autoimmune skin disease that causes painful, inflamed, and coin-shaped skin patches on the cheeks, scalp, and ears. Some sufferers have hair loss if the skin lesions develop on the scalp. Seal has talked about his scars in interviews, and he refers to them as his "battle scars." He tells his children that he sustained them when he was fighting to defeat evil demons. Although the scars remain, his condition has been in remission for years.