how do I know when pityriasis rosea is healing?

I got PR about 3 weeks ago. I felt SO ugly! It started with a "herald patch" right in between my boobs. I thought I would just try some hydrocortizone cream... NOT! It just kept spreading! I spread to my stomach, around and under my boobs, shoulders, neck, and back, and started slowly going int my hairline! NO dr would prescribe me anything for it to go away! I was SO frustrated! I started taking Prednisone that I had left over from a previous illness. It made it about 80% better. Do not take prednisone unless given by your doctor! It wasn't a bright idea for me to try and diagnose/heal myself. Now, it's itchy, and scally. I've noticed that taking luke-warm showers help too. When I sweat at work, it makes it itch more. I hate this rash and I wish it would go away permanetly!!!!

I found help! It works! I developed my herold patch around 12 weeks pregnant. At 14 weeks the rash was so bad I went to a dermatologist who said I had PR. The dermatologist gave me a moisturizer told me rub the affected areas each time I shower morning and evening to be followed by a cortizone cream she also gave me to be used twice a day after I used the moisturizer. The moisturizer was a regular moisturizer I was told (felt like a thin runny cream but not oily) again it came in an unmarked bottle. The cortizone cream also came in an unmarked bottle. After 2-4 days I had zero itching. After one week my red spots were dark and the smaller red spots began to fade. By 2 weeks a lot of the smaller spots disapppeared ( the ones that poped up closer to my doctor visit. Today its 4 weeks and its all gone. I only have the herald patch that's slowely fadein and about 4 maybe 5 tiny red dots that poped up this week when I started slacking of the creams. Also I got a little patch on my leg this week but not bad or itchy. It poped up where there were none before and where I never used the creams. I am hopeing that by week 8-10 I can be totally 100%. My dermatologist told me moisturize like crazy and no hot baths. She also told me that hydrocortizone cream will not work (confused that the cream she gave me wrote cortizone on it). I also get sun daily as I live in the caribbean so I don't know if that's why I am recovering fast and well.

I am one of the rare cases where my PR is going on 2 years now. I have tanned and it goes away for a while, but it always comes back. I have embraced it and it no longer affects my social life, i even got engaged with it. Remember it always seems worse to you than it really is.

Mine is gone it lasted two months. But i will give tips!! GO TANNING!!! It heals it much faster. You'll know its healing when its a flaked over. Take oatmeal baths for itching. Treat it like chicken pox when it comes to itching. And seriously TAN. Helps so much.

I noticed one patch on my breast when I was changing to go work out. I had no idea what it was and actually continuted to exercise that day and sweated. which is a bad idea. It's been 4 days now, the rash is spreading, some itching but not much. Been told that showering is a bad idea period and not to shower for 2 weeks. I don't know if I can manage not to for that long but I haven't in the past 4 days. I know it's not ideal but use perfume and deodorant. DO NOT SWEAT - will make it worse. don't take hot showers and wear cotton bras (from VS - wash before wearing) and cotton shirts so your skin can breath. I noticed it's got worse after yoga and wearing synthetic sports bra so I won't do it again until its all gone. Mine is not bad so far. Hopefully it'll stay that way.

I would not be suprised if it's stress induced. I went through stress so can see how it's connected. Keep yourself busy and don't stress out. It will only make it worse. I try not to look at myself in the mirror )

Good luck to everyone including me )

Calamine zinc aqueous cream or lotion really helps with the itching
Dermol shower emollient gel, and avoid too hot showers
Sun or tanning/UV if possible
try not to stress or to think about it, and stay occupied

I've had this thing for a year! The ugly red look is not all over my body anymore, lots of discolorization over my body and I still wake up with some new bumps here and there. To be honest, this thing affected my life! I am not a happy person anymore and I started hating myself. I've been dealing with a keloid problem since I was 13, and when you add PR on it, think about the mood I am in. I've seen two doctors, both told me it was PR and it would go away on its own time. But, it did not. I know stress is not helping it but under these conditions it is impossible not to stress. I've spent thousands of dollars on the creams, herbal extracts, blood tests, doctors, medicines, etc. I've tried EVERYTHING to get rid of that but nothing worked including the tanning saloons and the sun. I am having this nightmare for a year, and I am about to go mad. If anyone knows anything better please do tell. Please!