Antidepressant drugs in dermatology

Antidepressant drugs can be an important component of the dermatologists' therapeutic armamentarium. When considering the use of psychotropic agents in dermatology two major factors should be considered: (1) the accurate diagnosis of the comorbid psychiatric disorder, and (2) the presence of proper indications for the use of antidepressant agents. Antidepressant drugs are used in the management of the psychiatric syndromes, which are most frequently comorbid with dermatologic disorders, i.e., Major Depressive Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and Social Phobia. The antihistaminic and analgesic properties of some antidepressants such as doxepin and amitriptyline, are also of benefit in the treatment of some pruritic and neuralgic states. The specific guidelines, side effect profile, drug-drug interactions, and the most current indications should always be obtained for any particular antidepressant agent before it is prescribed.