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Treatments and drugs
By Mayo Clinic staffIn most cases, pityriasis rosea goes away in four to eight weeks. Pityriasis rosea treatment usually focuses on controlling itching. The antiviral drugs acyclovir and famciclovir and the antibiotic erythromycin may reduce the duration of pityriasis rosea to one to two weeks. These medications often are not necessary, however, because itching is usually mild and the condition clears up on its own.
If itching is a problem, your doctor may recommend the following to provide relief:
- Steroid creams or ointments. These creams will help ease itching and decrease redness.
- Oral antihistamines. These medications are available by prescription as cetirizine (Zyrtec) and fexofenadine (Allegra), and over-the-counter as diphenhydramine (Benadryl), chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton), clemastine (Tavist) and loratadine (Claritin).
- Light therapy (phototherapy). This can be with ultraviolet B (UVB) light or sunlight. Talk to your doctor before using sunlight to treat your rash. UVB therapy is most often available at your doctor's office.
