It is a skin disease which is marked by patches of pink and oval rash. The exact cause of this disease is not known. It is believed that this condition is set off by a virus. This disease can occur at any age but mostly occurs in young adults and teenagers. The symptoms reoccur in only three percent of the affected.

It is a common disease which appears as a rash can last from several weeks to several months. It generally develops in the spring and fall season. Although there are no lasting marks formed because of this disease but some dark skinned people might develop long lasting flat and brown spots.

The skin rash follows a characteristic pattern and in around 3/4th of the cases a single an isolated and oval scaly patch appears on the body and mainly on the upper arms, trunk, neck or thighs. The spots which are formed are smaller than the herald patch. The rash starts to heal after two to four weeks and vanish by around six to fourteen weeks.

At times the disease can result in a severe skin reaction. People suffering from this disease might have some itching which can be severe. The rash fades and disappears within six weeks but at times can last for a longer period of time. Physical activity such as running or jogging or bathing in hot water can cause the rashes to worsen temporarily or disappear.

Cause

The cause of this disease is not known. It is neither a sign of any internal disease nor is caused by bacteria, fungus or an allergy. Recent evidence has suggested that this disease might be caused by a virus since the rash caused is similar to certain viral illnesses and a person feels ill for a short duration before the rash appears. It is not contagious and does not spread from people to people and generally strikes a person once in a lifetime.

Symptoms

The symptoms of this disease include the formation of pink and flaky oval rashes. A single patch appears for around twenty days and after that a number of small patches appear. The patches may itch and might be accompanied by fever, headache and fatigue.

Treatment

Generally no treatment is required as the disease goes away by itself. The treatment which can be undertaken includes internal or external medications for itching. Medicated lotions and lubricants might be prescribed. UV light treatment can also be helpful in treating this disease. At times anti-inflammatory medication might be administered for controlling the itching or in order to get rid of the rashes.

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