Mistaken for mild eczema, pityriasis rose is a common skin disorder consisting of oval or round, colour less, finely scaled areas of skin. Mainly affecting children between the age of three and sixteen, the rash appears mainly on the neck, face, shoulders and upper body and is more common in dry hot summers or cold winters.

The patches are dry with very fine scales, can be slightly elevated and are between 1 and 2 centimetres in width. The rash is more prominent in the summer months when skin is tanned and in the winter the rash tends to be flakier due to the dry winds.

Sunlight, wind or soap can trigger the disorder in smallchildren but it is a harmless, non-scarring and non-infectious disease which responds slowly to the right pityriasis treatments. Avoiding too much sun exposure is a must and apply sunscreen all the time to stop your skin drying out too much. This condition makes your skin very dry so avoid soap unless it’s a moisturizing soap and apply lotions and daily moisturizers to help your skins dry appearance.

A nourishing diet full of tonics and vitamins is important, you need to look after both the outside and inside of your body and a healthy diet benefits your skins appearance no end.

There’s no known cause for the disorder but over exposure to sun or cold temperatures and winds seems to be a contributing factor. Sufferers of allergies such as hay fever also seem to be more susceptible to the condition.

Applying 1% hydrocortisone cream to the affected area can also help the patches fade more quickly and can soothe itchy and red areas. Other effective ointments include Lac-Hydrin, Pragmatar, Zetron and Cordran Cream which consists of 2% Zetra. If the right treatment is used then the disease can disappear within a few months or years.