6th week into Pityriasis Rosea. It's going away!!!!!!

I was diagnosed with pityriasis rosea 5 weeks ago when I noticed small red dots on my tummy we're turning into small red patches.  A week before I went to see my doctor I thought those dots were just spider or bug bites. Within the first week it spread to my back, it was about 17 patches I could count at the time. That was before I saw my doctor. 

It got me worried because it didn't hurt, didn't itch and the fact that I had never experienced anything like that before. I always take good care of my skin. First glance at my tummy and back she diagnosed me with pityriasis rosea right away. She put me on a very high dose of Acyclovir, 5 times a day for 1 week, 1 pill each time. And she also gave me steroid cream. The pills will NOT make PR go away soon but it might shorten the duration of its course. And, she explained to me about PR, she also said it's different for each case. Normally it lasts from 6-12 weeks and clear out itself without treatments. It's very unusual to be seen on neck and face. Some people experience the itchiness, some don't. 

A day after I saw my doctor it spread out all over my trunk and my back. I mean just one day before I could count the spots, but then my whole torso was cover with red and bumpy funky rashes. And I started to feel a mild itchiness. I kept taking my Acyclovir 5 times a day and hoping it will show some signs of getting better. 

When I finished my pills I was 2 weeks into PR. It got worse. It got redder each day and the itchiness is intolerable. 

3 weeks into this horrid rash, I developed rashes on my arms, shoulders and my legs from my knees up. I knew right then I'm a severe case. But it didn't stop at that point, at the middle of my 3rd week I started to have it on my forehead, around my hairline, my neck and even my ears. It was very unusual and unfortunate for me. 

I'm against tanning so that's out of my options. Even PR is terrible but I will never trade it for skin cancer. I started to wash my body with fragrance free head and shoulders. I also use Aveeno oatmeal bar ( this is not soap) every time I shower with almost cold water. 

A day felt like years waiting for this PR to end. It itch like mad, and red, and looking very bad. I tried not to use steroid cream a lot because it might cause a bad skin discoloration. 

At week 4, rashes on forehead faded but left very dry and flaky skin, my skin felt very tight on my face. The redness and itchiness on my torso and arms and legs remained the same. At this point I still use head and shoulders and oatmeal bars in almost cold showers. 

5 weeks into PR, the itchiness decreased and so did the redness. My skin became not too bumpy. Midway thru this 5th week the skin on my tummy showed signs of healing first. Rashes changed color to very light pink, then peeled, and left very very very dry skin. Few days later my back showed the same signs. But not my leg, shoulders, arms and neck. 

Now, today that my 6th week starts I barely see any dots or rashes on my tummy and back, the color of my skin at those 2 areas back to normal but still dry. When I developed rashes on my neck I guess it was when my PR reached its peak. My neck was red like a cooked lobster. But today, rashes on my neck, arms, shoulders, legs, behind are all fading at the same time. My skin feels tight and dry although I use fragrance free moisturizer right after shower everyday. But it is coming to the end of its course. 

Even my case is a severe one and I got it on my face and neck, and ears this funky Pityriasis Rosea is leaving me without a trace and I can't say how happy I am. At one point I thought it would last forever. 

So, to anyone who are suffering with PR, be strong and trust me that it's gonna go away without a trace my dear. 

For what I'm seeing right now I'm giving my PR just one more week before my skin is all back to normal. And that will mark 7 weeks. 

To whoever is reading this, I feel ya, keep your chin up and think positive. This funky PR is as terrible as your exes but be happy it won't leave a mark. Just the matter of a few weeks then it will be just a bad memory )

1 like, 2 replies