Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "pityriasis" wani yanayi ne na fata wanda ke nuna samuwar ma'auni mai kyau, fari ko launin toka a saman fata. Kalmar “pityriasis” ta fito ne daga kalmar Helenanci “pityron,” ma’ana bran ko sikeli kamar bran, wanda ke nuni da bayyanar fata a cikin wannan yanayin. ciki har da pityriasis rosea, pityriasis versicolor, da pityriasis rubra pilaris, wanda zai iya samun dalilai daban-daban, alamu, da jiyya. Gabaɗaya, duk da haka, kalmar "pityriasis" tana nufin rukuni na yanayin fata waɗanda yawanci ba su da tsanani ko kuma suna barazana ga rayuwa, amma suna iya zama rashin jin daɗi ko rashin so.