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Present studies indicate that patients with pityriasis rosea and tinea versicolor are at risk for psychopathology. Uncertainties about the etiology of pityriasis rosea and the recurrent nature of tinea versicolor groups might have an impact on the psychological status of patients resulting in anxiety or depression.
Pityriasis rosea (PR) is a common skin condition characterized by a herald patch and the later appearance of papules and macules arrayed along cleavage lines over the trunk and proximal extremities (Stulberg & Wolfrey, 2004). The incidence of PR peaks in persons 20 to 29 years of age (Cheong & Wong, 1989; Harman, Aytekin, Akdeniz, & Inaloz, 1998). Approximately 50% of all patients with PR have appreciable pruritus (Gonzales, Allen, Janniger, & Schwartz, 2005; Gupta, Nicol, & Johnson, 2004).
Patients with PR are unlikely to be prepared to face the uncertainties about the etiology, the pathogen is yet unknown, and spontaneous remission may occur at any time from 2 to 12 weeks (Chuh, Chiu, & Peiris, 2001; Drago et al., 1997; Kempf et al., 1999). Infectivity is known to be very low, but clusters of cases have been reported (Messenger, Knox, Summerly, Muston, & Ilderton, 1982). Patients should be advised of the self-limited nature of PR.
Tinea versicolor (TV) is a common superficial fungal infection of the skin characterized by scaly hypo or hyperpigmented lesions most commonly affecting the trunk and upper aspects of the arms. It is caused by the organism Malassezia furfur, which is also known as Pityrosporum ovale or Pityrosporum orbiculare depending on its form (Melen, Vallee, Feldman, & Fleischer, 2004). Although TV is regarded typically as asymptomatic, some patients experience pruritus. Tinea versicolor is most often diagnosed based on clinical appearance. The disease has a relapsing nature, and may require repeated treatment (Gupta, Batra, Bluhm, Boekhout, & Dawson, 2004). Although TV tends to be more prevalent in the summer months and in tropical locations than in temperate regions, evidence points to the importance of endogenous host factors such as individual vulnerability in the development of the disease (Gupta, Nicol et al., 2004).
Both diseases share comparable similar properties such as spring onset and possible impact on the individual's body image. However, indefinite etiological factors, ineffective treatment, dissemination of the lesions to large body...