What is the Difference Between Pityriasis Rosea and Psoriasis

The key difference between pityriasis rosea and psoriasis is that pityriasis rosea is a temporary condition caused by an infection with a virus, drug-induced reaction, or vaccine, while psoriasis is a chronic lifelong autoimmune condition.

Skin conditions can result from allergies, irritants, genetic makeup, certain diseases, and immune system problems. Pityriasis rosea and psoriasis are two common skin conditions that can cause scaly patches on the skin. However, the causes and symptoms of these skin conditions are different.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Pityriasis Rosea  
3. What is Psoriasis
4. Similarities – Pityriasis Rosea and Psoriasis
5. Pityriasis Rosea vs. Psoriasis in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Pityriasis Rosea vs. Psoriasis

What is Pityriasis Rosea?

Pityriasis rosea is a temporary skin condition that clears up within a few weeks. It may be the result of a virus, drug-induced reaction, or vaccines. Pityriasis rosea symptoms may include a large, scaly patch of skin that appears violet or dark grey on darker skin tones and pink on fair skin. Additionally, multiple smaller patches can develop on the chest, abdomen, back, arms, and legs, typically emerging after the appearance of the larger patch. Itchy skin is a common symptom, often accompanied by flu-like symptoms such as a cough or sore throat.

There are no known triggers for pityriasis rosea. However, pityriasis rosea is most common in teenagers and young adults, occurs more often in women, and occurs more in the winter season. The complications involved in this condition include premature delivery and fetal demise, severe cutaneous adverse reactions, and prolonged discoloration.

Pityriasis rosea can be diagnosed through physical examination, histology, and blood tests. Furthermore, treatment options for pityriasis rosea may include applying moisturizing creams, bathing and showering with plain water, bath oil, and aqueous cream, exposing skin to sunlight cautiously, topical steroid creams or ointments, zinc oxide, calamine lotion, and oral steroids for itching, antiviral medicines like acyclovir, and extensive phototherapy.

What is Psoriasis?

Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune condition. Therefore, it is an immune-mediated skin disease that occurs due to an overactive immune system that speeds up skin cell growth. Psoriasis is more common in regions such as elbows and knees, face and inside of the mouth, scalp, fingernails and toenails, genitals, lower back, palms, and feet. The symptoms of psoriasis may include plaques that look like a rash or raised area on the thick skin, discoloration of the skin on the plaque, scaly or flaky plaque that sheds easily, bleeding, itchy skin, cracked, dry skin, skin pain, pitted, cracked or crumbly nails, and joint pain.

The common triggers for psoriasis flare-ups are emotional stress, infections (streptococcal infection), skin injuries like cuts, scrapes, or surgery, certain medications such as lithium and beta blockers, and changes in body temperature due to weather. Complications involved in this condition may include psoriatic arthritis, temporary skin colour changes, eye conditions such as conjunctivitis, blepharitis, uveitis, obesity, type 2 diabetes, increased risk for cancer and other diseases, anxiety, and depression.

Psoriasis can be diagnosed through physical examination and skin biopsy. Furthermore, treatments for psoriasis may include steroid creams, moisturizers for dry skin, medication such as anthralin to slow skin cell production, vitamin D3 ointments, and vitamin A or retinoid creams.

What are the Similarities Between Pityriasis Rosea and Psoriasis?

• Pityriasis rosea and psoriasis are two common skin conditions that can cause scaly patches on the skin.
• Both skin conditions can cause itching.
• They can be diagnosed through physical examination.
• Both skin conditions can be treated through topical medications.

What is the Difference Between Pityriasis Rosea and Psoriasis?

Pityriasis rosea is a temporary condition that is caused by an infection due to a virus, drug-induced reaction, or vaccine, while psoriasis is a chronic, lifelong autoimmune condition. Thus, this is the key difference between pityriasis rosea and psoriasis. Furthermore, pityriasis rosea is more common in the regions such as the chest, abdomen, back, arms, and legs in the body, while psoriasis is more common in elbows and knees, face and inside of the mouth, scalp, fingernails and toenails, genitals, lower back, and palms and feet.

The infographic below presents the differences between pityriasis rosea and psoriasis in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary – Pityriasis Rosea vs. Psoriasis

Skin conditions vary greatly in symptoms and severity. Some conditions are temporary, whereas other conditions may be permanent. Moreover, some conditions are also life-threatening. Pityriasis rosea and psoriasis are two common skin conditions that can cause scaly patches on the skin. However, pityriasis rosea is a temporary condition that is caused by a viral infection,  drug-induced reactions, or vaccines, while psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated skin disease. So, this is the key difference between pityriasis rosea and psoriasis.

Reference:

1. “Psoriasis: Causes, Triggers and Treatments.” The National Psoriasis Foundation.
2. “Pityriasis Rosea Rash: Symptoms, Causes, & Treatment.” WebMD.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Pityriasisrosa” By James Heilman, MD – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Psoriasis 1300” By MCvanVeen – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia