Hypopigmentation After Pityriasis Rosea

Hello.

I was diagnosed with pityriasis rosea back in November.  The infection is gone now, but on my forearms and legs remain pale, hypopigmented spots.  They have been there about a month.  They are distressing to me because they are apparent against my olive colored skin. I am wondering if this is normal after pityriasis rosea and if it will go away?  Also, if you know anything about how long they take to go away that would be great. I am surprised that they are not significantly better after a month. It is hard for me to imagine that pityriasis rosea is enough to produce permanent pigment loss, but who knows.

Thanks a lot.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

I am a bit skeptical of the diagnosis of pityriasis rosea, only because this condition tends to affect the torso rather than the arms and legs.  It may have been a form of eczema.  In either case, superficial skin inflammation (common to both) often leaves dark or olive skin discolored for a while.  This can be too much color or too little.  Your term, "hypopigmentation," is accurate--less pigment, not no pigment.  Repigmentation can take months.  There really isn't much you can do to speed it up.  But the pigment very likely will come back on its own.

Pityriasis rarely recurs.  if you get new spots which remind you of the ones you had, that would support the diagnosis of eczema.  Topical therapy (cortisone creams, others) will help resolve the spots faster than they would go on their own, and thus limit the duration of any pigment changes.

Check with a skin doctor for clarification.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff

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