At first, I thought it was a mosquito bite.
It looked like one, and it certainly itched like one but then more came.
I figured a very determined mosquito had snuck into my room and attacked me through my tank top.
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I video-chatted with my dermatologist who asked a few questions: Did I have body aches or flu-like symptoms?
Had I started new medication?
How quickly did it come on, and did my boyfriend also have it?
American Academy of Dermatology’s National Library of Dermatologic Teaching Slides
(Within two days, and still no.)
She diagnosed it as pityriasis rosea, a benign but frustratinglyitchy rashthat in her words just happens sometimes.
What is pityriasis rosea?
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Luckily, it’s not contagious.
Some rare cases can take up to three months.
“However, it’s possible to develop the rash more than once,” she says.
“In studies, between 2 and 3 percentof people develop the disease again.
While unusual, one patient developed pityriasis rosea once a year for five years in a row.”
What causes pityriasis rosea?
Influenza viruses and vaccines have triggered pityriasis rosea in some cases."
The authors suggest more research is necessary.
What are the symptoms of pityriasis rosea?
While my particular flare-up itched alot, that’s not always the case.
The rash itself usually doesnt blister or bleed, but in many cases, the skin may peel.
(Unfortunately, I scratched my rash until it bled, so myhyperpigmentationmay linger.)
How is pityriasis rosea diagnosed?
“It looks very different.”
In my experience, patients with darker skin are more likely to present with atypical forms of the disorder.
For instance, the rash sometimes appears only under the arms or on the flanks.
The typical distribution of the rash is on the trunk between the neck and the knees."
How is pityriasis rosea treated?
I tell my patient to use a gentle non-soap cleanser."
