Pityriasis Alba

This is a rather nasty skin disorder that can also be called pityriasis streptogenes. Since it only infects children adults are somewhat immune to this disorder. Only children that fall into a certain age group seem to be affected by this disorder. It is generally for children between six and twelve years old.

If your child has contracted this disorder there are a few ways that you can discover it. It doesn’t just show up on the child’s face since it attacks other areas of the child’s body. It may show up on the child’s neck, arms and also the upper part of the child’s chest. Although it is associated with showing up on the face first. Light colored patches on the skin is the tell-tale sign that a child has pityriasis alba. Sometimes the rash can have skin like flakes on it and make the rash look dusty. The outside of pityriasis alba is also never clearly visible and the rash sometimes blends into the skin color of your child’s face.

Age Group

Adults will vary rarely get this skin disorder. It seems to only appear on young children. The main host for this condition seems to be children between the ages of six and twelve years old. Although not every child will be a host to the disorder and you have to remember that only a small percentage of children will get the disorder.

Diagnosis and Testing

Going to your local doctor seems to be the only way to diagnose this condition. A doctor will be able to determine if a child has contracted pityriasis alba. However, never think that a child can’t contract the disorder simply because they are over or under the usual age.

Treatments for Pityriasis Alba

For this particular skin disorder that are no treatments because most patients report that the condition disappears on its own. Although it takes time for the condition to disappear. You can use hydrocortisone or even a moisturizer to help speed up the process and clear up the problem quicker. These products will sometimes help a skin disorder disappear faster, but it may also have no effect at all. The condition has been known to last for a few months on up to a couple of years.

Prognosis for Pityriasis Alba

There is a very good prognosis for pityriasis alba. Since the disorder gradually disappear it leaves no scarring on the child’s face. Although the condition may remain on the patient for longer than usual if the patient tires to forcefully remove the disorder by constantly washing the face with skin products. The condition can disappear more quickly with correct treatment applied to the problem areas.

Complications of Pityriasis Alba

When suspecting that your child has pityriasis alba there are a few complications that can occur. The skin disorder can be confused with another skin disorder, this is tinea versicolor. Although simply taking a small amount of the flakes on the surface of the rash can help the doctor rule out tinea versicolor. KOH will be added to the flakes and then viewed under a microscope. The skin disorder will not be pityriasis alba if there are fungal elements in the mixture. Another similar skin ailment is vilitigo. The border of the rashes will help determine the difference between these two. There is a distinctive difference between the color of the child’s skin and the border of vilitigo.

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