Biopsies of skin lesions and clinically normal skin of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), discoid LE (DLE), and various dermatoses were tested by the direct fluorescent antibody technique for the band of localized immunoglobulins at the dermal-epidermal junction present in LE skin. In LE, three immunofluorescent band patterns were found: homogeneous, thready, and stippled. The homogeneous or solid band was seen only in chronic atrophic or hyperkeratotic lesions while the thready band was present in newer erythematous edematous lesions and clinically normal SLE skin. The stippled band was found essentially only in clinically normal SLE skin even in SLE patients without LE skin lesions. Awareness of the different immunofluorescent "band" patterns that may occur at the dermalepidermal junction in LE skin is essential in using the presence of the band as a diagnostic adjunct to confirm a clinical diagnosis of LE possibly even in patients without LE skin lesions.