Outlook prognosis pityriasis alba usually goes away on its own with patches returning to normal pigment over many months. No treatment is necessary for this condition in general. Brannon, md, is a family practice physician in mauldin, south carolina. It is more often detected in individuals with a darker complexion but may occur in. In such conditions, the most common treatment therapies applied to pityriasis alba patients are as below. Pityriasis alba treatment, causes, pictures and remedies. This condition is characterized by raised, rounded patches of lighter skin that are mainly on the face, although other. If your skin is inflamed, itchy, or red, your doctor may prescribe a corticosteroid or a nonsteroidal cream. Its appearance can become worse in summer season, after the surrounding skin tans due to exposure of sun. Pityriasis alba is a common skin rash that occurs mainly in schoolaged children.
Pityriasis alba is a lowgrade type of eczema dermatitis that primarily affects children. Use of topical corticosteroid applications in pityriasis alba treatment treatment with mild nonprescription topical corticosteroids and hydrocortisone may be done. Since pityriasis alba is benign and does not usually spread or last long, no treatment may be necessary. Management of eczema with active specific immunotherapy and. The lesions are frequently limited to the face, but the neck, arms, and shoulders can also be involved 1. Pityriasis alba is a benign skin condition that usually occurs to young children. The affected area can be mildly itchy but usually causes no problems. Interventions for the treatment of pityriasis versicolor bamford, jtm. Treatment with topical calcineurin inhibitors, such as. Pityriasis alba is a common, benign skin disorder that typically affects children ages 6 to 12.
Typically, patchy areas of lighter skin color appear on the face, upper arms, neck, or shoulders. Pityriasis alba is a common noncancerous benign skin condition affecting children. Cordan cream containing 2% zetar and pragmatar ointment. The redness, scale and itch if present may be managed with simple emollients and sometimes hydrocortisone, a weak steroid, is also used as the patches of pityriasis alba do not darken normally in sunlight, effective sun protection helps minimise the discrepancy in colouration against the surrounding normal skin. Pityriasis alba is a skin condition that commonly happens to children and to young adults, but any person can acquire it as well. Pdf diagnosis and treatment of pityriasis rubra pilaris.
Neem leaf has antifungal, antiviral and antiinflammatory properties making it an useful topical home remedy for pityriasis alba. Although the condition typically lasts 1 year or more without treatment, pityriasis alba usually resolves after puberty or by the time the child reaches adulthood. Pityriasis alba and control group of 15 normal individuals. Initially the typical lesion consists of an irregular, round or oval, pink patch, sometimes with an elevated, and slightly erythematous border, varying in size from a few millimeters to a few centimeters. A moisturizing lotion such as lubriderm or cetaphil may help prevent new patches from appearing. Pityriasis alba pa is a frequent cause of consultation in tropical areas due to its chronic course, frequent relapses, and notorious hypopigmented lesions in pediatric dark skin populations.
Pityriasis alba may be itchy but more commonly there are no symptoms associated with the condition. About europe pmc funders joining europe pmc governance roadmap outreach. Terrasil is an allnatural pityriasis alba treatment that stops itch, and. Your doctor may prescribe a moisturizing cream or topical steroid cream such as hydrocortisone to treat the.
Because pityriasis alba is usually selflimited and asymptomatic, pharmacologic treatment is often unnecessary. Pityriasis alba is a common skin condition causing hypopigmented facial patches in children and occasionally young adults. Pityriasis alba is a common skin condition in children and teenagers. Pityriasis alba is a common, benign skin disorder occurring predominantly in children and adolescents. Hi alice we have a post on eczema scars that you might find useful, it could help the white patch.
Pp027 bacteriological studies of pityriasis alba ijid. Pdf on mar 1, 2008, feroze kaliyadan and others published xerosis and pityriasis. Pityriasis alba british association of dermatologists. Pityriasis alba is a skin disorder that mostly affects children and young adults. But i am so worried the white patch will not go away. Extensive pityriasis alba is believed to be a primary, acquired hypopigmentation observed in females aged 1825 years of mixed ethnic origin. Cafe au lait macules are treated with surgical excision or laser therapy if treatment is desired. No treatment is necessary for asymptomatic pityriasis alba. The authors analyze the diagnostic errors, present. Pityriasis alba condition, treatments, and pictures for.
Based on studies, the skin disorder is often seen in children ages 6 to 12. The affected areas develop more normal pigmentation on their own with time, but new areas may develop. Pityriasis alba primary care dermatology society uk. Pdf the article deals with clinical diagnosis and treatment of pityriasis rubra pilaris prp. In general no treatment is needed, or of help the condition is selflimiting and the colour will return to normal over a number of months years. These creams can help reduce skin discoloration and relieve dryness, scaling, or. There is no specific cause of pityriasis alba, but some factors may trigger of disease, such as, heat in the summer season, soap or detergents, stress, dry skin, worm infection, and last but not the least vitamin deficiency. Histological examination revealed features of pigmenting pityriasis alba. Pityriasis alba is common worldwide with a prevalence in children of around 5%.
The ointment may be applied for a week or two and stopped. Treatment with topical calcineurin inhibitors, such as 0. Xerosis and pityriasis albalike changes associated with zonisamide. Homeopathic remedies for the treatment of pityriasis alba. Tinea versicolor is caused by malassezia yeasts, which are. We present a 10yearold saudi girl with multiple hypopigmented scaly patches with central bluish hyperpigmentation over the face of one year duration. The condition tends to be more common in dry winter months, however the patches may be more noticeable in summer when the surrounding skin is tanned and the colour difference between the whitish patches and the tanned skin is more obvious. Pityriasis alba is a selflimiting disease, which lasts for 612 months without any treatment. Sometimes steroid creams for the skin are used to treat more severe forms of the condition. Pityriasis alba pa is a common disease, usually seen in children. Patches may get sunburned when exposed to sunlight. Treatment of vitiligo depends on the distribution and extent of skin involvement.
However, its believed that the condition may be associated with eczema, a common. Pityriasis alba is a common skin condition in children. Treatment of pityriasis alba affected children for possible intestinal worms and parasites may resolve the condition. A moisturising cream may improve the dry appearance. In general, the condition is most common in children and teens aged 316. If your skin is inflamed, itchy, or red, your doctor may prescribe a corticosteroid or a. More frequent attacks of pityriasis alba are found in individuals with a lighter skin, but the condition is more apparent in individuals with a darker skin. No treatment is required and the patches in time will settle. In cases where itching becomes problematic, one percent hydrocortisone cream available over the counter should be applied once to twice a day to the affected areas. Topical steroids eg, hydrocortisone 1%, desonide 0. Sun protection a very important part of treatment is to protect the skin from sun exposure by using sunscreens and protective clothing.
Clinically, the spots of pityriasis alba are offwhite in color, round with poorly defined, fuzzy margins that bear scanty fine scales on it. Pityriasis alba pictures, symptoms, causes, treatment. To use neem leaf as a home remedy, boil a bucket of water and add a handful of neem leaves to it. Hypopigmentation disorders include vitiligo, pityriasis alba, tinea versicolor, and postinflammatory hypopigmentation.
Pityriasis alba occurs in teens of all races and of both sexes, though it is more obvious in darkerskinned individuals. Hydrocortisone 1% cream over the counter applied once or twice a day to the lighter patches may help them go away a little more quickly. Pdf xerosis and pityriasis albalike changes associated with. The hospital personnel mainly acquire gramnegative bacilli from. This condition is a mild form of dermatitis and can last for a month but if left untreated, it can last for a year. Because this condition does not have any severe symptoms, treatment is generally not necessary. The condition may last for 612 months but can settle once the child attains adulthood.
Pityriasis versicolor pv, also known as tinea versicolor, is a chronic and benign. We will merge all electronic searches and remove duplicate records. Few examples which are often found to give good results in pityriasis alba patients are lachydrin cream. Calcineurin inhibitors, pimecrolimus cream and tacrolimus ointment, may be as effective as hydrocortisone and have been reported to speed recovery of skin colour. Age and sex distribution pityriasis alba generally affects children between 3 and 16 years old. This is the reason, why it is used to treat several skin conditions, including pityriasis alba. Pigmenting pityriasis alba is a rare variant of pityriasis alba.
A mild topical steroid hydrocortisone cream may reduce redness and itch. In some cases, dermatologist may prescribe tacrolimus ointment 0. A good moisturizer helps in treating the scaly skin. It appears as lightcolored patches, especially on the cheeks. Pityriasis means scaly or flaky and alba is a latin word for white, this gives us white scales or flakes. Treatment of pityriasis alba white spotspatches on. Doc said it is pityriasis alba and no treatment is needed.