Weird skin

I went to the doctor today for a weird skin rash that I have been having. He called it Pityriasis Rosea due to its "Christmas Tree"-like rash. The bad news is it is a virus, so nothing to give me to make it go away. I had never heard about this and it is reasonably common, so thought I would share some info. From e-medicine:

Background: Pityriasis rosea (PR) is an acute and characteristic exanthem that has been described for more than 2 centuries. Initially, a primary plaque, called a herald patch, is seen. The herald patch is followed by a distinctive, generalized rash 1-2 weeks later. The rash lasts approximately 2-6 weeks.

Pathophysiology: The primary plaque is seen on the skin in 50-90% of cases a week or more before the onset of the eruption of smaller lesions. This secondary eruption occurs 2-21 days later in crops following the lines of cleavage of the skin. On the back, this eruption produces a "Christmas tree" pattern.

Frequency:

• In the US: The overall prevalence of PR has been calculated to be 0.13% in men and 0.14% in women. The prevalence reported at dermatologic centers has been between 0.3 and 3%.

• Internationally: An increase in the prevalence of PR has been reported in Uganda. No change in the prevalence of PR has been reported in Sweden.

Mortality/Morbidity: PR is a self-limited benign illness.

Sex: PR is reported to occur equally in the two sexes or slightly more often in females. The ratio of men to women varies from 2:0.55.

Age: PR is most common in children and young adults. Prevalence of PR rises during childhood and is most common in persons aged 15-40 years. PR is rare in infants and in the elderly; however, it has been reported in infants as young as 3 months.