Search research articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Videos

Pityriasis rosea.

Daniel L Stulberg¹, Jeff Wolfrey

¹Family Practice Residency Program, Utah Valley Regional Medical Center, Provo, Utah 84604, USA. daniel.stulberg@ihc.com

American Family Physician

|January 20, 2004

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Expert Consensus Statement on Proficiency Standards for Dermoscopy Education in Primary Care.

Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine : JABFM·2023

Same author

Importance of Careful Corneal Inspection Prior to Fluorescein Exam.

American family physician·2017

Same author

Continuing education that matters: a successful, evidence-based course with minimal pharmaceutical funding.

The Journal of continuing education in the health professions·2012

Same author

A disfigured foot with ulcer.

The Journal of family practice·2008

Same author

Chronic plaque psoriasis.

American family physician·2006

Same author

Diagnosis and treatment of basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas.

American family physician·2004

Same journal

For Post-stent Patients With Atherosclerotic Coronary Vascular Disease Who Are Taking an Anticoagulant, Adding Aspirin Worsens Outcomes.

American family physician·2026

Same journal

Nausea and Vomiting During Pregnancy.

American family physician·2026

Same journal

Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease: Diagnosis and Management.

American family physician·2026

Same journal

Aerobic Exercise Is the Better Exercise Modality for Knee Osteoarthritis.

American family physician·2026

Same journal

Overscreening Leads to Overdiagnosis of MASLD.

American family physician·2026

Same journal

Type 2 Diabetes: Outpatient Insulin Management.

American family physician·2026

See all related articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Pityriasis rosea is a common skin rash affecting young people, often starting with a herald patch. While its cause is unknown, treatments like erythromycin and UV light therapy may help clear the rash faster.

Area of Science:

Dermatology
Exanthem Diagnosis
Cutaneous Medicine

Background:

Pityriasis rosea is a prevalent acute exanthem with an unclear cause, often affecting children and young adults.
The condition presents with a characteristic herald patch followed by a widespread papulosquamous rash, frequently misdiagnosed initially.
Accurate diagnosis is challenging until secondary lesions appear, following Langer's lines, and differential diagnosis includes conditions like secondary syphilis and drug-induced rashes.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the etiology, clinical presentation, and diagnostic challenges of pityriasis rosea.
To discuss differential diagnoses and current treatment options for pityriasis rosea.
To evaluate the efficacy of potential therapeutic interventions for pityriasis rosea.

Main Methods:

Related Experiment Videos

Review of existing literature on pityriasis rosea.
Analysis of clinical characteristics and diagnostic criteria.
Examination of reported treatment outcomes, including a small controlled trial on erythromycin and ultraviolet light therapy.

Main Results:

The etiology of pityriasis rosea remains uncertain, with viral and bacterial causes not definitively identified.
A small controlled trial suggested that erythromycin may accelerate the clearing of the pityriasis rosea exanthem, though the mechanism is unknown.
Ultraviolet light therapy can hasten rash resolution but carries a risk of hyperpigmentation; symptomatic treatment with steroids and antihistamines is common for itching.

Conclusions:

Pityriasis rosea diagnosis requires careful observation of lesion progression and distribution, distinguishing it from mimics like eczema and secondary syphilis.
While the exact cause is unknown, therapeutic options like erythromycin and UV light show potential for hastening resolution, alongside symptomatic relief for pruritus.
Further research is needed to elucidate the etiology and optimize treatment strategies for pityriasis rosea.