Pityriasis Rosea, Or Something Else??? Please Help Me.

I am 35 years old and few weeks ago, I have noticed some strange rash over my body. One friend of mine told me he has the same symptoms few years ago. He was diagnosed with Pityriasis Rosea, so I wonder if I have the same disease. Can you tell me something more about its symptoms? I do not know if I should be worried and visit my doctor, could it be Pityriais Rosea or something else, so please help me.

At the start, I have to say it is not possible to diagnose you just like this. I need more info about your condition and symptoms, as well as physical exam. All I can do to help is to give you info about Pityriasis Rosea symptoms so you could search how similar those are with yours. Anyway, I could recommend you to visit your doctor; he is going to prescribe right medicine to treat your condition, whatever it happened to be. Pityriasis Rosea is condition that usually begins with large, scaly and pink patch. People call it mother patch, because it all starts from here, and is frequently confused with ringworm. After antifungal creams do not help, since it is not fungus, people conclude it is something else. After few weeks, more pink patches appear on the chest, back, arms, and legs, neck, and rarely on the face. The patches are oval and may form a pattern over the back, and sometimes the disease can produce a very severe and widespread skin eruption. About half the patients will have some itching, especially when they become warm, which could help you conclude if your problem is Pityriasis Rosea or something else.

So I'm a 29 year old female and woke up one day with itchy spots on me. I was also very lethargic. The western doctor I saw was useless, he just said it was 'a virus' and to rest and let it takes its course.

I searched online and found that all my symptoms match Pityriasis Rosea. I decided to try everything I heard about online to cure myself. After 10 days, the spots and itch are dissappearing.

Here is what I did:

- I went to a tanning salon twice using the weakest bed for just 10 minutes each time. (I still wore sunblock for fear of cancer and wrinkles)
- I went to a Chinese medicine place and they gave me some herbal pills that I took 3 times a day, 4 at a time.
- The Chinese doctor told me stay away from fried foods. So I did.

Now, the spots are slowly fading away along with the itch! Yay!!! I'm not sure if one or all of the things above contributed to my healing, but I wanted to share this because I know what you're going through!!

Me and my husband are planning to have a baby but he was just diagnosticated with pityriasis rosea.
Is this going to affect the baby (if I get pregnant during this time)?
I need your help, please advice.
Thank you.

Guest wrote:

So I'm a 29 year old female and woke up one day with itchy spots on me. I was also very lethargic. The western doctor I saw was useless, he just said it was 'a virus' and to rest and let it takes its course. I searched online and found that all my symptoms match Pityriasis Rosea. I decided to try everything I heard about online to cure myself. After 10 days, the spots and itch are dissappearing. Here is what I did: - I went to a tanning salon twice using the weakest bed for just 10 minutes each time. (I still wore sunblock for fear of cancer and wrinkles) - I went to a Chinese medicine place and they gave me some herbal pills that I took 3 times a day, 4 at a time. - The Chinese doctor told me stay away from fried foods. So I did. Now, the spots are slowly fading away along with the itch! Yay!!! I'm not sure if one or all of the things above contributed to my healing, but I wanted to share this because I know what you're going through!!

hi, can you give me the name of the chinese medicine that you took?

hey guys! i got diagnosed with pityrisis rosea 2 months ago being told the first month to just wait it out. SILLY IDEA! After some time it only got worse and i began to feel incredibly embaressed, so i decided to visit a local dermatologist in the area and within ONE WEEK i saw incredible results!!!

What the dermatologist told me to do:

1) Use minimalist shampoo and conditioner ( use the shampoo for bodywash as well)

2) Use "ALL free clear allergen fighting laundry detergent" on your clothes. And do not use any kind of fabric softeners.

-(1-3) gives the skin a break from fragrences and chemicals.

3) The dermatologist gave me a dermatological antibiotic called DORYX(doxycycline hyclate). i took it 2 times a day for 2 weeks.

4) He also perscribed a cream called Triamcinolone 0.1%. I applied this on the infected areas 2 times a day for about 3 weeks.

By the first week the red went away and there was no itch. It was awsome! I felt like a new woman! Good luck! Hang in there! There is a fix!

GO SEE A DERMATOLOGIST!!! Very worth it!

Hi there!

I completely understand the frustration that everyone here has experienced with this nasty rash. I really wish there was a way to know exactly what causes/ triggers it so that none of us are afflicted again.

My story started about a month ago when I noticed a small red mark on my upper left arm. I thought that it was an insect bite and just put cortizone on it to stop the itching. Within a day or so, the red mark grew into a large ring. My husband and I were convinced that it was ringworm, but I decided to go to the Dr. to double check since it looked "odd". The Dr. agreed that it was ringworm, told me to try an OTC product and before I knew it there was ANOTHER huge ring aka Herald Patch on my back!! At this time I was totally freaked out and of course, the rash was spreading rampantly over my chest, arms, torso and making its way up to my neck. I went back to her and she diagnosed it as PR and sent me to the dermatologist the same day.

The dermatologist prescribed a lotion for me to use twice daily to stop the itching and also recommended that I either do the sunlight treatment or the UVB treatment. Seeing that I'm in my cousin's wedding in less than three weeks, I opted for the UVB.

I must say that the UVB has been working- thank God, and I'm seeing an improvement. Also, thanks to other forum posters, I quickly realized that it was not a good idea to take hot baths (after the fact that I had been soaking in hot baths twice daily when I thought it was ringworm). Cool baths and mild, moisturizing soaps are key. Also, be sure not to lather using washcloths or sponges, just lather up the soap in your hand and apply lightly to the skin. Also, be sure to pat your skin dry after you bath. Both of these things seem to cause irritation and cause it to spread.

I also increased my daily supplement of fish oils and cod liver oil. Not sure if this has a direct effect, but as I mentioned, I'm seeing a positive improvement.

The only not so nice thing about this is that for those of use with darker skin, the marks that it leaves behind is NOT cute. I'm hoping my derm can recommend a product that will help fade these spots, especially those in the chest, back areas since my bridesmaid dress is strapless. If that doesn't work in time, I'll be running to the nearest MAC counter for help! =)

Good luck to those of you who are still trying to find relief. I was able to find comfort from doing searches on the web, so I hope that you will also post how you are dealing/dealt with it.

hi PR sufferers!

I am a 27 year old female and was diagnosed with PR 2 days ago....it has been 8 or so days now since i first noticed the rash on my chest and then on my abdomen/neck/back the day after. I have a herald patch in the middle of my back near my spine and i am getting more and more spots/lesions on a daily basis...probably a handful a day. And today i got out of the shower and noticed they flared up and looked 10x worse....and i think the heat made them spread!
Luckily (i guess) i haven't had much itching at all, but the spots look more like sores and they are disgusting. Its making me anxious and not want to go out. I have them on my upper chest and a few on my neck so its hard to hide them. - Plus i am going away on holidays in 3 weeks exactly and, after researching and reading people's posts, i am thinking i will have this horrid rash for awhile and will need to cancel my trip cos i am certainly not wearing bikinis with this!
In terms of treatment, the doctor I saw said i just have to see it thru but it should be gone in less than 6 weeks (she said more like 3-4 weeks). But the fact that more lesions keep appearing probably means that it'll by 3-4 weeks healing time AFTER they've all come out! The doctor took one look at me and said it was PR...i think i was there for 5 minutes max. Since then i have been trying to find some possible help on the internet. Even though there is no cure for it, different things seem to help different people. I am going to see my doctor tmrw cos i have had enough, and asking for either:
A cortisone shot (i have read on forums that this has helped clear up symtoms in less than a week), or
Erythromycin (an antibotic that has been trialled in the treatment of PR once, and the researchers reported that it made symptoms disappear within 2 weeks for 73% or people in the treatment group vs 0% in the placebo group).

I'll prob go with the cortisone shot 1st, because i don't take antibiotics as i am allergic to penicillin...even though erythromycin is not a penicillin, i have had it once b4 and became extremely nauseas and had to stop taking them. But i am prepared to be nauseas for a week or two than have PR for months!

I will also ask my doc about Doryx as was mentioned in one of the posts.

Hopefully whatever i try will work and i will be spot/lesion free by the end of the month!!!! Fingers crossed and good luck to those of u with this evil condition!

I had PR for 4 weeks! I went to the doctor after 1 1/2 weeks, and the Dr. said 6-8 week course. Gave me some no good steroid cream. I starting doing research and talking to EVERYONE. Started tanning, using Aveeno skin care products, rubbed Australian Tea Tree Oil on the spots and took Oil of Oregano. Gone. It started disappearing in week 4....and the last of the spots are just starting to peal! Tanning I think was the key...but I suggest trying any of these. Good luck

Rub selsun blue anti dandruff shampoo all over your rash, replace your body wash with it. It could help it clear up within a few days