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Health A-Z

Medical Content Created by the Faculty of the
Harvard Medical School

Diagnosis

In most cases, a physician or dermatologist can diagnose pityriasis rosea simply by looking at it. Although there is no specific blood test to diagnose pityriasis, blood testing may be ordered to exclude other diagnoses. If there is any question of a skin fungus, a scraping of the edge of a spot will be placed on a slide and examined under the microscope. Rarely, a skin biopsy is needed to confirm the diagnosis. In a biopsy, a small piece of tissue is removed and sent to a laboratory to be examined.

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From Health A-Z, Harvard Health Publications. Copyright 2007 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Written permission is required to reproduce, in any manner, in whole or in part, the material contained herein. To make a reprint request, contact Harvard Health Publications. Used with permission of StayWell.

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