Skin Care Today

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In each issue of Skin Care Today we investigate a hot topic currently affecting
our readers. In this issue we ask...
Are we paying attention to the
psychological issues of skin disease?
4 SKIN CARE TODAY 2017,Vol 3, No 1
SKIN CARE MATTERS ›
According to one famous
aphorism, beauty is only
skin deep. Unfortunately,
for those people affected by
dermatological conditions,
this quaint saying offers scant
consolation. The damage wreaked
by skin problems can have a hidden
cost, with the psychological effects
of conditions such as psoriasis,
eczema and dermatitis often going
unrecognised. While the physical
manifestations such as blistering,
itch, rash and inflammation are easy
to identify, the emotional impact
can often be underestimated, or
not even considered
by healthcare
professionals.
According to the
American Academy
of Dermatology and
other skin groups,
skin problems cause
a range of debilitating
psychological
symptoms (‘The
emotional impact
of skin problems’—
.
com):
 Major depression
 Suicidal thoughts
 Social withdrawal
 Anger
 Lack of confidence
 A significant
number of people
with psoriasis
change or stop
participating in
their normal
daily activities
 People with acne
face higher rates
of unemployment
than the general
population, further
contributing to
social stigma.
There are also a
range of psychological
factors that can
interact with dermatological
conditions to make people’s skin
symptoms worse (‘Psychosocial
factors in dermatology’— www.
dermnetnz.org). For example, people
who have a skin condition alongside
depression may find it especially
difficult to adhere to their treatment