While sitting at home one night talking on the phone my 15 year old son came up to me and said he was itchy all over. I looked at him and he had a rash all over his body. A t first it was

faint as we did not have the light on. We turned the light on to see his whole body covered with red spots that looked like an alllergic reaction or something. So i took him to the dr straight away as i was not sure wether it was contagious or not and i have so many children i did not want them or any one else to get sick if i could prevent it. The dr googled Pityriasis Rosea on the computer and it looked exactly like what my son had. He gave me cream for it and he needed to take anthihistamine tablets for the itchiness. I came home and did an article about it once before and am not sure if it is still onhere or not maybe i should have checked prior to writing this.

I have googled this to get accurate information for you all so if i have used any copyrights please let me know and i will correct it.

Pityriasis rosea is a rash that genersally affects people aged between 10 and 35 years. But may occur at any age really. Pityriasis Rosea is a skin disease that is oval shaped patches looks very similar to dermatitis or scabies. The exact cause of this skin disease is unknown and can last from weeks to even months. Pityriasis Rosea does not leave scaring once the rash is gone. There is usually what is called a herald patch this is where the rash started from. This patch is usuallly hard to find unless you look very closely for it.Pityriasis Rosea is usually confused with ringworm as they are very much alike in the way they look on the skin.  The herald patch is gennerally on the chest or back. There is no anti fungal cream that can be used on this as it is not fungal related. Over weeks there will be more sppots appearing on the body. Physical activity such as running or exercising may make the rash more itchy and the patient can also have fatigue and aches with this.

Pityriasis Rosea is not known to be contagious  and a person may only get thois rash once in a lifetime but may happen again. This has not been proven. Pityriasis Rosea is not spread from person to person hence this is why it is not contagious. The patient may feel unwell for a couple of days prior to the rash appearing.

TREATMENT

The treatment for this condition is generally to give antihistamine for the itahiness and some kind of dermatitis creams. The patient should try and avoid heat and exessive exercise to ensure the body does not get too hot and make the patient itch badly. Occassionally anti inflamotory medication may help with itchiness and to help the rash go away. Patients should note that this skin disease is not dangerous in pregnancy so if you are pregnant and get this skin rash do not worry too much.

 

The symptoms of this condition include:

• Pink and flaky oval-shaped rash, similar to ringworm
• A single "herald" patch may occur 1 to 20 days before smaller, more numerous patches of rash. It has also been known for the "herald" patch either not to be noticed or not to exist. Other "herald" patches may appear as a cluster of smaller oval spots rather than a single patch.
• Often occurs in patches arranged in a triangular pattern, like a "Christmas tree"
• 25% of people with Pityriasis Rosea get mild to severe itching. This fades as the rash develops
• May be accompanied by headache, fever, nausea and fatigue
• Other less common symptoms include reduction in sweat gland activity and the clearance of acne

These rashes are often found on the back, chest/stomach, inner thighs, inner upper arms and inner forearms. It has been seen occasionally on the palms of the hands. Usually it does not affect the face; however a few blemishes may be found on the cheeks.

this information is from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pityriasis_rosea

this is what pityriasis Rosea looks likeThe skin rash follows a very distinctive pattern. In 3/4 of the cases, a single, isolated oval scaly patch (the "herald patch") appears on the body, particularly on the trunk, upper arms, neck, or thighs. Often, the herald patch is mistaken for ringworm (tinea corporis) or eczema. Within a week or two more pink patches will occur on the body and on the arms and legs. These patches often form a pattern over the back resembling the outline of an evergreen tree with dropping branches. Patches may also appear on the neck and, rarely, on the face. These spots usually are smaller than the "herald" patch. The rash begins to heal after 2-4 weeks and is usually gone by 6-14.

Sometimes the disease can cause a more severe skin reaction. Some patients with this disease will have some itching that can be severe, especially when the patient becomes overheated. Occasionally there may be other symptoms, including tiredness and aching. The rash usually fades and disappears within six weeks but can sometimes last much longer. Physical activity, like jogging or running, or bathing in hot water may cause the rash to temporarily worsen or reappear. In some cases, the patches will reappear up to several weeks after the first episode. This can continue for many months.

The cause is unproven. It definitely is not caused by a fungus or bacterial infection. It also is not due to any known type of allergic reaction. This condition is not a sign of any type of internal disease. Since it is neither contagious nor sexually transmitted, there is no reason to avoid close or intimate contact when one has this eruption.

There is some evidence that it is a relapse of Human Herpes Virus type 7 (HH7) infection, as this virus has been isolated from blood, skin lesions, and white blood cells (lymphocytes) of pityriasis rosea patients. In other people HH7 is only found in the lymphocytes. This virus infects most of us as children, and we develop immunity to it. This is the reason it is so very uncommon for other members of the same household to come down with pityriasis rosea at the same time.

A dermatologist can usually diagnose the condition quickly with an examination, but at times the diagnosis is more difficult. The numbers and sizes of the spots can vary and occasionally the rash can be found in an unusual location, such as the lower body or on the face. When there is no "herald" patch, reactions to medications, infection with fungus or syphilis (a type of VD), or other skin diseases may resemble this rash. The dermatologist may order blood tests, skin scrapings or even may take a sample from one of the spots to examine under a microscope to reach a diagnosis.

Treatment may include external and internal medications for itching. Aveeno oatmeal baths, anti-itch medicated lotions and steroid creams may be prescribed to combat the rash. Lukewarm, rather than hot, baths may be suggested. Strenuous activity, which could aggravate the rash, should be discouraged. Ultraviolet light treatments given under the supervision of a dermatologist may be helpful. Recently, both the antiviral drug Famvir and the antibiotic erythromycin have been claimed to produce healing in one to two weeks. For severe cases a few days of oral anti-inflammatory medications such as prednisone may be necessary to promote healing. For mild cases, no treatment is required as this disease is not a dangerous skin condition.

this information is taken from http://www.aocd.org/skin/dermatologic_diseases/pityriasis_rosea.htmlIf i have breached any minti copyright terms please let me know. I have doneit this way so that all information is given acurately for everyone. My son now has no rash and the rash did last for about 2 months whe nhe had it. He has no ill effects from it either. So if you are unsure about any type of rash go to your local gp and get it checked especially if you have pre school or school aged children. Thank you

In the majority of cases, there is no treatment and the disease is self-limiting. [1] Irritants such as soap, should be avoided. Topical calamine lotion and/or oral antihistamines can help with itching. In severe cases, topical or oral steroids may be used. UV therapy and exposure to sunlight may help in some cases.