Pityriasis rosea is a common and typically self-limited cutaneous eruption. Classically, a solitary scaly, pink, or skin-colored plaque – the "herald patch" – appears first, often on the trunk. The ensuing eruption appears days to weeks later and consists of multiple discrete oval, erythematous, and scaly plaques and patches oriented along skin cleavage lines, most commonly on the trunk and upper extremities. The face, palms, and soles are usually spared.

Pityriasis rosea is usually asymptomatic, although it occasionally may be pruritic. Constitutional symptoms may precede the eruption, including fever, headache, cough, and arthralgia. In a majority of patients, the rash typically resolves within 4-8 weeks. Recurrence is rare.

Adolescents and young adults are most commonly affected. Pityriasis rosea is uncommon in children under 10 years of age. An atypical form of pityriasis rosea characterized by papular lesions and facial and scalp involvement is more prevalent in children of African descent. In individuals with darker skin phototypes, hyperpigmentation can result upon resolution.

While the exact cause remains unclear, pityriasis rosea in children is thought to be associated with primary infection or systemic reactivation of human herpesvirus 6 and 7 (HHV-6 and HHV-7).

Certain drugs can cause a pityriasiform eruption that resembles pityriasis rosea. Drug-related pityriasis rosea-like lesions may appear more red-violet in color, typically do not present with a herald patch, and may be associated with eosinophilia.