My Healing From Pityriasis Rosea

Published on by Gurezu

A month ago I uploaded a picture of me in instagram declaring my complete healing from Pityriasis Rosea. Because of this I received an out pour of messages from those who are still suffering from this skin disease. Not only from the Philippines but also from abroad. It looks like more and more people are getting this. I’m writing this so I could give an all out summary of what I did. Also to give awareness about Pityriasis Rosea.

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First, what is Pityriasis Rosea or PR for short?

  • It is a skin disease that starts from one big herald patch then spreads as a rash through different parts of the body.

Below is not my photo but this looked very much like my own herald patch

  • It is not an allergy, not a viral infection, not a fungal infection. Actually even skin experts don’t know the cause of this disease. But most probably it was due to stress and weakened immune system. (A dermatologist told this to me.)
  • Completely harmless. It could disappear without a trace. Duration could be from 2 weeks to one year. Mine was approximately 8 months.

My Journey

  • I had it around April 2017. Like I mentioned above, it started in just a one big pink itchy rash in my chest. Then one day, I just realized that it feels like it is giving birth to more small rashes. It spread to my stomach, underarms and whole chest. It scared me because it looks strange. I took pictures of it but deleted immediately because I really don’t like how it looks. It’s just a relief that it did not spread to my face and other commonly exposed body parts. Still, it was depressing to look at.
  • To give you a clue, my case pretty much looked like this. I grabbed this from google.

  • I consulted a dermatologist in Makati Medical and finally found out about Pityriasis Rosea. She gave me an ointment and asked me to observe what will happen in a week. If it keeps spreading, she advised me to go under phototheraphy session. From the looks of it, this treatment feels like you are getting a skin tanning session. Though I feel determined to take it, it was costly. One session cost at least 800 and it was not covered in my healthcard. One week and the ointment did not help at all. But I did not comeback for phototheraphy session either.

What I did

  • Expose affected areas at least once a day under sunlight.

Base on my research, sun exposure is observed to greatly improve the situation. It was not easy since you tendency to cover the affected areas more since you don’t want others to see it. I tried it in the morning before going to work. I also wore dresses so that it won’t spread in my legs. Fortunately, it really helped to reduce the itchiness. And it really did not reach my legs since it was always exposed.

  • I used “Dove” soap.

The dermatologist advise this herself. Other recommendations are soap with oatmeal bits. Avoid using the harsh soap like whitening soaps at all cost. I use Safeguard as my daily soap. Dove is too oily for me. But since I have no choice, I obliged myself to use it. It reduce the dryness and flakiness of the rashes. But still did not go away.

  • Use BL cream

I visited an aunt for a celebration and advised me to try this. She is also using this whenever she is having rashes. She gave me a half-filled container of it to try. I applied it after taking a bath. I think in just two days, my rashes turned to brown immediately which is actually a sign that it is healing.

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Base on this article, BL Cream is ” is a combination of a 10mg/g ketoconazole and a 500mcg/g clobetasol”. You can get this in your nearest drugstore. In my case, I bought it in Mercury Drugs. I don’t understand much but what I remembered is it should not be taken for a long time. Though it is just used externally, it can penetrate way beyond the epidermis. Large amount of its ingredients can cause cataract, diabetes mellitus, glaucoma and tuberculosis. But its okay as long as you don’t apply it to a large part of your body and you don’t use it for a long time. Because of what I read I only used this for a week. When I thought that my PR is healing, I stopped using BL and Dove soap altogether. I think this is the reason why I had a second wave attack of PR. This time it spread on my back. When I noticed it, I bought Dove and BL cream.

This is one of my pictures when I applied BL cream on my chest after taking a bath. I thinks this is the only pic I have when I still have PR.

  • In addition, I finally bought Aveeno Moisturizing Lotion. The dermatologist also recommended this but I refused to buy because one bottle is way too expensive. But I decided to give it a go this time so I can finally get rid of PR. Also I can’t apply BL cream on my back or the whole of it so I just use this lotion for that.

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Other things I Did

  • I joined a Pityriasis Rosea Support Group in Facebook. It is a closed group and you need to be approved before you can join. People share their own journey on healing there. I found that I was not alone and there are far more worst PR cases there. You might discover what method will work for you.
  • I also started taking Vitamins C because I thought I could have been lacking in vitamins. I’m not fond with eating fruits but I pushed myself to eat banana everyday. I also started drink turmeric tea. I keep on and stop thinking about my PR. Slowly, I notice that they are disappearing for real. And last December, I finally celebrated my healing by wearing Bikini (hihi!).

Having PR made me realize that I should appreciate my body more no matter what the flaws are. What matter is it is healthy and strong. I hope this write-up will help you. Feel free to comment below if you have more tips to share regarding this disease.

KEEP GOING, Gurezu

30 thoughts on “My Healing From Pityriasis Rosea”

  1. Ang hirap ng may ganyang mga sickness. Yung friend ko eczema naman. Ang ginawa niya naging mas careful siya sa kinakain niya and it helped daw. 🙂

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      1. Parang yung alopecia. Baldness naman. Biglang nagkaroon yung friend ko ng ganun. Nakalbo yung certain spot ng hair niya. Pero okay na ngayon. Hmm.. fighting! Wag na pakastress! 💪🏼👊🏼😊😊

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  3. Beshiecake! eto yung blog mong inaantay ko, madami kang mahehelp kasi diba tumataas na yung cases ng PR sa pinas ngayon.

    And good thing wala na yung sayo. Let’s be healthy na! 🙂

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  4. I am glad na okay ka na. Nagkaron ako ng eczema nung bata ako, although di naman malala pero sobrang kati talaga. Yung panganay ko naman 2 yrs ago nagkaron ng acro dermatitis, parang eczema rin pero sugat sugat sa lahat ng daliri sa kamay at paa. Sakit daw talaga ng mga bata. Buti nakahanap kami ng magaling na Dermatologist kasi naiyak ako nung narinig ko na sabi raw ng kapitbahay galis daw yung sakit ng anak ko. Medyo nandidiri ata sila. Hindi kasi effective lahat ng reseta ng unang doktor. Sabi pa sa dumi lang daw baka nainfect. Ayun. Thank God at magaling na yung next na doktor. Binigyan kami ng list ng food na di pwede sa kanya. Umabot din ng 2 months bago sya gumaling. Masakit sa bulsa pero ang importante okay na sya 🙂 Thanks for sharing your story, Gurezu. God bless!

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  7. Nagkaroon ako ng ganito dati ang akala ko pa buni pero PR pala sabi ng doctor tumagal lang sakin ng 2 linggo ayos na rin agad. Clobetasol lang rin gamot ko. Nakakalungkot magkaroon ng sakit na ganyan buti okay na sayo hahaha

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      1. Opo pero ang tibay mo ate sa 8 months ah grabeng gamutan yon ang tagal. Congrats ate magaling kana hehe nawala agad yung sakin, sakin naman sa braso tsaka sa balikat lumabas. Naalarma ako kaya pinagamot na agad yun 2 weeks lang. buti nga ate nawala lang rin agad.

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  8. ano po recommended sayo na mga cream, sabon, lotion? ska po ano po mga bawal kainin? tulongan nyo ko please 😦 meron po akong PR 😦

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  9. Hello Gurezu, 3months na PR ko now pero naging peklat sila after kong 3days gumamit ng BL cream, kung wala na bang sumusulpot na bagong spots pwede ko ng itigil? and continuos na ba nyan ang pag heal nila? thanks

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    1. Itigil niyo na o yung BL cream kapag naging brown na ang PR. Mejo masama rin ang BL cream kapag laging ginagamit. Continous naman po iyong pag heal basta magpa-araw po lagi and huwag gagamit ng harsh soap. Thanks for dropping by sa blog ko po 😉

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  10. Nag karoon po ako Ng PR now Yun Nga po sabi Ng derma ko stress at pag baba Ng immune system .tanong ko lng po pag pa brown na po ba siya at my nag peeling po pag galing na po ba yan at may iba pang small bumps sabibang parti Ng katawan ko

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    1. Sorry late reply. Pag brown na pagaling na yan kaya dapat continue mo lang ibilad sa sunlight and no harsh soap. Pag tinigil mo kasi , babalik sila. Hoping for your healing sis. Isipin mo na lang aalis din yan at walang iiwanang peklat. Unless kinamot at nagkasugat.

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  11. Hello Miss Gurezo, sobrang helpful po ng iyong journey to PR, sa ngayon po.. 2weeks na akong akong merong PR, at khapon ko lang nalaman nung nagpacheck up ako sa derma, naun pla ang tawag don, sobrang nakakawala ng self confidence, mas gusto ko na sa kwarto nlang ako.. Para di ko masydo makita ang mga rashes ko,, pero naisipan ko magsearch regarding sa PR, at nakita ko nga tong journey mo, at kahit papaano may mga nakuha ako idea,, it helps me a lot, salamat..gagawen ko ang magpa araw everyday

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