recurring skin rash?

[snortimer]

I have these recurring skin rashes and I don't know what they are.  I had a bad case of pityriasis rosea when I was a teenager, and every few years patches come back that look similar.  For the past year though, I have had them frequently.  I will only have a few at a time.  I will have one or two patches on my wrists or maybe one  below my knee on the back of the leg.  They range in size from .5-2 inches across.  As I said though, I only have a couple of them at one time, never a full blown case of anything.  Does anyone know what it is?  I have attached a photo and have circled the rash that mine looks most like.  Thanks.

[snortimer]

May I also add that there is no dry, cracked skin around the rash, nor is it crusty or blistered.  

[snortimer]

The photo is not of me, I just used it to show that the spot circled looks like what I get.  As I said, I'll only have one on my wrists and maybe behind my knee at any given time so it is very mild.

[jagesh50]

Discoid eczema would be my impression.It is certainly unusual for PR to recur.I understand that the photo presented is only a representative photo, and not taken when you had the rashes?

[snortimer]

When I had pityriasis rosea as a teenager, I went to the doctor and he told me it would go away in 2-6 weeks, but I had it for 6 months.  I thought it was the type of thing that people didn't get again or recurrent episodes for that matter?

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
The pictures and symptoms sound like recurrent pityriasis rosea. 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.It is a self-limited disease, and treatment is supportive.But since you are having recurrent episodes,so steroids or anti microbial creams may be required.

It has to be differentiated from discoid eczema,seborrheic dermatitis,lichen planus or psoriasis also. I would suggest an examination by a dermatologist to confirm the diagnosis.

Hope it helps.Take care and pls do keep me posted on how you are doing.Kind regards.