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Mainpro+® Overview
KEY POINTS FOR PRACTITIONER / INFORMATION FOR THE PATIENT
| History (key points to cover)
• Family or personal history of atopy • Assess timing and onset; pityriasis alba more noticeable during high sun-exposure seasons • Medication history (continuous use of potent topical steroids can cause steroid atrophy) • Skincare, detergent or chemical products (post-inflammatory hypopigmentation can occur from irritant or allergic contact dermatitis to topical creams) • Travel history (which will help differentiate from conditions like leprosy and tinea versicolor) |
| Physical Examination (key features to note)
• Examine skin type of the patient (as pityriasis alba is more common in darker skin types) • Examine for presence of erythema and scaling • If Wood’s lamp examination performed, the skin should be not fluoresce (ruling out vitiligo) |
| What is pityriasis alba? Pityriasis alba is a common and harmless skin condition that often affects children and young adults. It appears as light-coloured, slightly scaly areas on the skin, usually on the face. Pityriasis alba is not vitiligo (the condition where the skin becomes white and stays white). |
| What causes pityriasis alba? Pityriasis alba is believed to be related to dry skin and mild eczema. The dry and irritated skin does not tan as much as the surrounding skin and becomes more noticeable when the regular skin tans. |
| Is pityriasis alba contagious? No, pityriasis alba is not contagious. It is a harmless condition and cannot be spread from person to person. |
| How is pityriasis alba treated? Using moisturizers will help take care of the dry and irritated skin. If you protect the skin from sun exposure, the surrounding skin will not tan as much and the skin will look more even. Moisturization and sun protection are good enough for most patients. Topical prescription creams may be prescribed if the skin is too red and/or itchy. |
| Can pityriasis alba be prevented? If you catch the skin early when it is scaly, you can limit how light the skin gets by moisturizing the scaly and dry areas. |
| Does pityriasis alba cause any long-term effects? Pityriasis alba is a harmless condition and usually goes away as the children get older. The patches may fade over time, leaving the skin with a normal appearance. |