Definition

Noun: A general medical term for any of several skin conditions characterized by the development and shedding of fine, dry, flaky scales from the skin's surface.

Usage

• Pityriasis is a non-contagious dermatological term.
• It is typically used in a medical or clinical context to describe the scaling appearance of the skin.
• The word is often part of a compound name for a specific condition (e.g., pityriasis rosea, pityriasis versicolor). When used alone, it refers to the general symptom of flaking.

Examples

• The dermatologist diagnosed the patient's rash as a form of pityriasis.
• A common symptom was pityriasis, with white scales appearing on the shoulders.
• The report noted "generalized pityriasis" as a key clinical finding.

Advanced Usage

• "Pityriasis sicca": A term sometimes used for simple dry skin (xerosis) with fine scaling.
• "Pityriasis simplex": Another historical term for dandruff of the scalp (pityriasis capitis).

Variants and Related Words

• Pityriasis rosea (n): A common, self-limiting rash characterized by a single "herald patch" followed by a widespread distribution of smaller, scaly patches.
• Pityriasis versicolor (n): A fungal infection causing discolored, scaly patches on the skin, also known as tinea versicolor.
• Pityriasis alba (n): A common skin condition in children, causing pale, slightly scaly patches on the face.
• Pityriasis rubra pilaris (n): A rare, chronic skin disorder causing orange-red scaling plaques and keratotic follicular papules.
• Pityriasis capitis (n): The medical term for dandruff affecting the scalp.

Synonyms

• Desquamation (n): The medical term for the shedding of the outer layer of skin in scales or sheets; a broader term that includes pityriasis.
• Scaling (n/adj): The process or state of forming scales; a more general descriptive term.
• Flaking (n/adj): The process of coming off in small, thin pieces; a common-language synonym.

Noun

1. any of several skin disorders characterized by shedding dry flakes of skin