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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staff
Pityriasis rosea is a skin rash that often sweeps out from the middle of your body, with a shape that resembles drooping pine-tree branches. Pityriasis (pit-ih-RI-uh-sis) rosea usually begins as one large spot on your chest, abdomen or back and then spreads.
Although pityriasis rosea has a distinctive appearance once the rash spreads, in its early stages you may confuse pityriasis rosea with other skin disorders.
Pityriasis rosea can affect any age group, but commonly affects older children and young adults. It usually goes away on its own, but may last for several weeks. Before it disappears, pityriasis rosea may make you mildly uncomfortable, but there are steps you can take to relieve your discomfort.
- Pityriasis rosea. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/print/sec10/ch116/ch116d.html. Accessed Feb. 12, 2010.
- Goldstein AO, et al. Pityriasis rosea. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 29, 2010.
- Drago F, et al. Pityriasis rosea: An update with a critical appraisal of its possible herpesviral etiology. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2009;61:303.
- Chuh AA, et al. Interventions for pityriasis rosea. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2007;2:CD005068.
- Blauvelt A. Pityriasis rosea. In: Wolff K, et al. Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine. 7th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2955172. Accessed Feb. 12, 2010.
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