Pityriasis Rosea – A Common And Troublesome Rash

Pityriasis Rosea is the self-limiting rash, In other words, it can go away on its own without any treatment. Although the rash can be quite dramatic and irritating, the illness is very mild and often not dangerous.

It most commonly affects young adults but can affect people of all ages.Pityriasis rosea is a self-limiting rash that can occur both in adults and in children, better to say in people of all ages. Pityriasis rosea is more common in children and young adults. It is most common in the age range between 10 and 35 years. It is more common in the spring and autumn.

Its exact cause is still unknown. No germ (bacterium, virus, or fungus) has been found in people with the rash which is strange. However, certain types of human herpes viruses may be a reason why people are getting the rash. It is not associated with food, dirty water, medicines or stress. However, some medicines can cause a rash which can look similar to pityriasis rosea.

Pityriasis is not usually contagious so the rash does not spread to other people. Most people with pityriasis rosea feel perfectly well but are aware of irritating rash. The rash may be itchy but sometimes is not . Some people may have:

· A mild headache.

· A high temperature (fever).

· A feeling of sickness (nausea).

· A feeling of being more tired than usual.

Any symptoms that do occur usually start before the rash appears on the skin. Some people had developed intense itching before the rash first appears.

Occasionally, some people also will have affected areas in their mouths – for example, blisters or ulcers inside their mouth.

A ‘herald patch’ usually appears on the skin itself first. This is usually an oval- or round-shaped patch which can vary from 2-5 cm in diameter. This is usually pink/red in colour. It most commonly appears on your chest or upper back. It can sometimes appear on your tummy (abdomen), neck, back, thigh or upper arms. However, many cases do not have a herald patch or it goes unnoticed.

Around 5-15 days later a more widespread rash gradually appears over about 10 days. Most commonly this is on the back or the chest and abdomen. This rash can spread over much of your body. However, it does not usually affect your face.

The rash usually consists of oval-shaped spots 1-3 cm in diameter which is pinky in colour. These spots are smaller than the herald patch. Often the spots seem to form lines in parallel with your skin creases.This rash may be very itchy. The rash fades in time but this may take several weeks. It leaves no marks or scarring. Second attacks are very rare but have been reported.This description is the typical case which most people seem to have. Occasionally, the rash may just affect the arms and legs. Rarely, it can cause scaling or flaking of the skin, which can be troublesome.