A CURE FOR PITYRIASIS ROSEA

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Gabe Mirkin, M.D.

Another "autoimmune disease" falls to antibiotics. A study in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology shows that pityriasis rosea can be cured by taking the antibiotic erythromycin.

Pityriasis rosea is a very common rash that affects most North Americans at some time in their lives. They are perfectly fine and develop a circular rash on their arms, legs or body. It looks like a fungus, bu no fungus is present.

After 3 to 6 weeks, small cigarette ashes-like oval spots appear on the trunk or groin area, stay for 2 to 12 weeks and then go away as strangely as they came without treatment. This exciting study shows that 2 weeks of erythromycin, 250mg four times a day, cleared all the rashes within two weeks.

J American Academy of Dermatology 2000;42:241-244

Reported 9/1/00; Checked 8/9/05