Pityriasis roseais a rash that typically appears on the upper arms and legs, trunk, or neck.
It is sometimes confused with a throw in of psoriasis calledguttate psoriasisbecause skin symptoms of each might appear similar.
Guttate psoriasis appears as red, scaly, small, teardrop-like spots on the skin.
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It primarily affects children and young adults.
It sometimes means that you might developplaque psoriasislater on.
Pityriasis Rosea and Psoriasis Arent the Same
Pityriasis rosea and psoriasis have some things in common.
Reproduced with permission from © DermNet New Zealandwww.dermnetnz.org2023.
They also differ in many ways.
Similarities
Pityriasis rosea and psoriasis both cause patches of a scaly rash on the skin.
Another key in of psoriasis called plaque psoriasis causes thick, scaly lesions covered in silvery scales called plaques.
Neither of these conditions is contagious.
Some types of psoriasis can clear up on their own, especially guttate psoriasis.
Still, there is the potential for a recurrence or development of plaque psoriasis after guttate psoriasis has cleared.
Symptoms
Both pityriasis rosea and psoriasis cause skin rashes.
Rashes are itchy and might affect multiple body areas.
Pityriasis Rosea
The main symptom of pityriasis rosea is the large, scaly herald patch rash.
Pityriasis rosea also causes itchy skin in at least 50% of people with the condition.
How the pityriasis rosea rash appears on the skin will depend on your skin tone.
People with darker skin are more likely to have scales on the rash.
People with pityriasis rosea rash usually experience flu-like symptoms for a day or two before the rash appears.
Psoriasis
Guttate psoriasis is one subtype of psoriasis.
It is known for causing small, teardrop-like spots.
These spots are raised and red with a silvery scaly appearance.Dry skin might peel off or flake off.
Some people might experience irritated and itchy skin.
The onset of guttate psoriasis can occur over a few days.
Some people might have lesions on the face, scalp, and ears.
Guttate psoriasis presents as small pink, violet, or brown spots.
On darker skin, psoriasis lesions might appear dark brown, making diagnosing the condition harder.
Skin symptoms of guttate psoriasis will sometimes go away on their own.
It is generally not chronic or as severe as other types of psoriasis.
Some people might experience recurrences of symptoms, but these will go away without the condition becoming plaque psoriasis.
Reproduced with permission from A DermNet New Zealandwww.dermnetnz.org2023.
Additional psoriasis subtypes include:
Triggers
Pityriasis rosea might be triggered by aviral infection.
The most common viral infections linked to pityriasis rosea are herpesvirus 6 and 7 strains.
Upper respiratory tract infectionsare also known triggers for pityriasis rosea.Some research suggests theCOVID-19 virusmight be a viral trigger.
Guttate psoriasis is a condition that will appear suddenly.
Once a diagnosis is made, treatment can start, if necessary.
Pityriasis rosea is usually not severe and often resolves without treatment.
Most of the time, a healthcare provider can diagnose pityriasis rosea by examining your skin.
If they are unsure or want to confirm the diagnosis, they may perform abiopsy.
This procedure requires removing a small sample of affected skin to send to a lab for testing.
Psoriasis treatment will depend on the throw in and severity of the symptoms.
Avoid overheating and protect yourself from sunburn.
They both usually are temporary conditions, although guttate psoriasis can recur.
Pityriasis rosea often clears without treatment, and guttate psoriasis may sometimes need treatment to clear up.
Other types of psoriasis are chronic and will require long-term treatment.
Psoriasis is a problem in the immune system that causes skin cells to turn over too quickly.
This leads to a buildup of plaques on the top of the skin.
Treatments for psoriasis include topical medicines, phototherapy, and oral and injected systemic drugs.
If treatment is needed, it is generally prescribed to manage itch or skin irritation.
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