Volume 29, Issue 162, August 2025

Dermatological Manifestations of Psychiatric Disorders: Narrative Review

Anita Szymańska^♦, Marta Dzieciątkowska, Weronika Pierudzka, Agnieszka Mariowska, Paulina Horwat

University Clinical Hospital in Poznan, ul. Przybyszewskiego 49, 60-355 Poznan, Poland

^♦Corresponding author
Anita Szymańska, Postal adress: Łęczycka 113/1; 62-051 Wiry, Poland

ABSTRACT

Background: Psychodermatology is an interdisciplinary field that examines the complex interplay between psychological factors and dermatological symptoms. While emotional stress is known to influence many skin diseases, there remains limited awareness of psychiatric disorders that primarily manifest through selfinflicted skin lesions. Aim: The purpose of this narrative review is to present current knowledge on selected psychiatric conditions with primary dermatological manifestations, with an emphasis on clinical features, diagnostic challenges, and therapeutic approaches. Material and methods: Authors conducted literature review using PubMed and Google Scholar databases, focusing on publications relevant to the topic of publication. After exclusion, 61 records were identified as meeting predefined criteria. Results: The reviewed conditions show diverse clinical presentations, often mimicking primary dermatological diseases, which complicates diagnosis. All four disorders share common features, such as impaired impulse control, psychiatric comorbidities (e.g., depression, anxiety, and obsessivecompulsive disorder), and a chronic, relapsing course. Neurobiological and psychological mechanisms are multifactorial and not yet fully understood. Effective treatment requires an interdisciplinary approach combining pharmacotherapy (e.g., SSRIs, antipsychotics) and psychotherapy, particularly cognitive-behavioral therapy. Early diagnosis and collaboration between dermatologists and psychiatrists significantly improve outcomes. Conclusions: Psychiatric disorders that appear as skin conditions are still difficult for doctors to diagnose. To improve management of psychodermatoses, more focus should be put on creating interdisciplinary teams, setting clear diagnostic criteria and bringing more awareness of the topic among physicians. More research should focus on clarifying what causes development of psychodermatological disorders and setting up effective treatment guidelines.

Keywords: psychodermatology, trichotillomania, dermatillomania, hair-pulling disorder, skin-picking disorder, dermatitis artefacta, delusional parasitosis

Medical Science, 2025, 29, e142ms3639

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi.v29i162.e142ms3639

Published: 25 August 2025