Which feature is characteristic of pityriasis rosea?

Which feature is characteristic of pityriasis rosea?

• A. Contagious
• B. Involves the face
• C. Herald patch
• D. Severe pruritus

Answer: (C)

Pityriasis rosea usually begins with a herald patch—an oval, salmon-colored patch that appears on the trunk or proximal limbs. This single patch often goes noticed at first, but it signals the start of the classic course: a secondary eruption that follows a Christmas-tree pattern on the back and chest. The condition is typically self-limited and not contagious, facial involvement is uncommon, and severe itching is not the defining feature (pruritus, if present, is usually mild to moderate). So the herald patch is the hallmark feature that best fits pityriasis rosea.

Pityriasis rosea usually begins with a herald patch—an oval, salmon-colored patch that appears on the trunk or proximal limbs. This single patch often goes noticed at first, but it signals the start of the classic course: a secondary eruption that follows a Christmas-tree pattern on the back and chest. The condition is typically self-limited and not contagious, facial involvement is uncommon, and severe itching is not the defining feature (pruritus, if present, is usually mild to moderate). So the herald patch is the hallmark feature that best fits pityriasis rosea.