eMedicine Specialties > Dermatology > Diseases of Pigmentation

Pityriasis Alba: Follow-up

Author: Bassam Zeina, MD, PhD, Consulting Staff, Department of Dermatology, Milton Keynes Hospital, UK
Coauthor(s): Nicole Sakka, MBBS, Senior House Officer, Department of Dermatology, Milton Keynes Hospital, NHS Foundation Trust, UK; Sohail Mansoor, MBBS, MSc, Dermatologist and Lead Physician in Dermatologic Surgery, Department of Dermatology, Barnet Hospital, UK
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Sep 2, 2009

Follow-up

Further Inpatient Care

  • Inpatient care is not generally required for pityriasis alba.

Further Outpatient Care

  • Regular follow-up is not required for pityriasis alba.

Transfer

  • Patients requiring cosmetic camouflage may require transfer to another specialist if the dermatologist or primary care physician teams cannot provide this service.

Deterrence/Prevention

  • Prevention is not possible because the etiology of pityriasis alba is unknown.

Prognosis

  • The prognosis is good because pityriasis alba almost always resolves spontaneously.

Patient Education

  • Provide education relating to the benign nature of pityriasis alba.
  • For excellent patient education resources, visit eMedicine's Skin, Hair, and Nails Center.

Miscellaneous

Medicolegal Pitfalls

  • Misdiagnosis because a patient may have leprosy or hypopigmented mycosis fungoides: Additional investigation may be necessary.
  • Failure to reexamine patients before repeatedly refilling patients' steroid prescriptions: Steroid adverse effects may progress to the point of permanent damage without appropriate surveillance.
  • Failure to consider a new problem when a patient, who was previously doing well, suddenly seems to worsen: Allergic contact dermatitis may develop with any topical therapy (including steroids), and irritant dermatitis may likewise develop.
 
Acknowledgments

The authors and editors of eMedicine gratefully acknowledge the contributions of previous author, Mohsin Ali, MBBS, FRCP, MRCP, to the development and writing of this article.



More on Pityriasis Alba

Overview: Pityriasis Alba
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Pityriasis Alba
Treatment & Medication: Pityriasis Alba
Follow-up: Pityriasis Alba
Multimedia: Pityriasis Alba
References
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References

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Further Reading

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Keywords

pityriasis alba, hypopigmentation, erythematous scaly patches, atopic dermatitis

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Bassam Zeina, MD, PhD, Consulting Staff, Department of Dermatology, Milton Keynes Hospital, UK
Bassam Zeina, MD, PhD is a member of the following medical societies: British Association of Dermatologists, British Medical Association, and Royal Society of Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Nicole Sakka, MBBS, Senior House Officer, Department of Dermatology, Milton Keynes Hospital, NHS Foundation Trust, UK
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Sohail Mansoor, MBBS, MSc, Dermatologist and Lead Physician in Dermatologic Surgery, Department of Dermatology, Barnet Hospital, UK
Sohail Mansoor, MBBS, MSc is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, American Academy of Dermatology, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, and Royal College of Physicians of the United Kingdom
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Mark G Lebwohl, MD, Chairman, Department of Dermatology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Mark G Lebwohl, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology
Disclosure: Abbott Laboratories Honoraria Consulting; Actelion Honoraria Consulting; Amgen Honoraria Consulting; Astellas Honoraria Consulting; Centocor Honoraria Consulting; DermiPsor Honoraria Consulting; Galderma  Consulting; Genentech Honoraria Consulting; Helix BioMedix Honoraria Consulting; Medicis Honoraria Investigator

Pharmacy Editor

David F Butler, MD, Professor of Dermatology, Texas A&M University College of Medicine; Chair, Department of Dermatology, Director, Dermatology Residency Training Program, Scott and White Clinic, Northside Clinic
David F Butler, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, American Medical Association, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, American Society for MOHS Surgery, Association of Military Dermatologists, and Phi Beta Kappa
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Managing Editor

Christen M Mowad, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Dermatology, Geisinger Medical Center
Christen M Mowad, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, and Phi Beta Kappa
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Catherine Quirk, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, Brown University
Catherine Quirk, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha and American Academy of Dermatology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Dirk M Elston, MD, Director, Department of Dermatology, Geisinger Medical Center
Dirk M Elston, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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