Pityriasis Pictures

Definition: Pityriasis is any of several skin disorders, including dandruff.

Pityriasis alba, Common skin disorder, occuring most often in children and young adults, characterized by circumscribed round or oval patches of depigmentation (loss of normal pigment), or less than normal pigmentation.

Pityriasis rosea, skin disease in which a mildly itchy rash develops over the trunk of the body several days after a single localized patch called a herald patch.

Pityriasis rubra pilaris refers to a group of chronic disorders characterized by reddish orange, scaling plaques and keratotic follicular papules. Also known as "Devergie's disease," "Lichen ruber acuminatus," and "Lichen ruber pilaris".

Pityriasis rosea

Pityriasis rubra pilaris outbreak on the arm

Severe case of Pityriasis rubra pilaris

Notes from Medical Textbook about image above: "Pityriasis rubra pilaris in a mulatto girl, involving the entire surface. Began when six or seven years old, and gradually extended, reaching generalization when ten years old (at the time this photograph was taken). Family free from skin disease, and brothers and sisters, six in all, when last seen, then aged 16, not more than one-third of the surface remained affected, the eruption then consisting of some large confluent scaly areas and patches of closely crowded discrete follicular papules. The patient's general health has continued good throughout."

Above and below, Pityriasis rubra pilaris as it appears under an early 20th Century microscope.