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Psychiatric factors in patients with sensitive skin
E Zafiriou1, N V Angelopoulos, E Zintzaras
1Department of Dermatology, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
Drugs Under Experimental and Clinical Research
|February 1, 2006
Summary
Patients with sensitive skin often experience hyperreactivity due to external factors. This study found that psychological factors like anxiety and somatization are linked to sensitive skin, suggesting a need for psychological interventions.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Sensitive skin is characterized by hyperreactivity to external stimuli.
- Diagnosis relies heavily on self-assessment due to a lack of objective clinical signs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate potential psychiatric factors contributing to sensitive skin.
- To assess the need for psychological interventions in managing sensitive skin.
Main Methods:
- A study comparing 37 individuals with sensitive skin and 38 with non-sensitive skin.
- Utilized psychometric instruments: Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) and Delusions-Symptoms-States Inventory/states of Anxiety and Depression (DSSI/sAD).
Main Results:
- Statistically significant differences were found in sensitive skin subjects compared to controls.
- Elevated scores in somatization, phobic anxiety, hostility, interpersonal sensitivity (SCL-90), and anxiety (DSSI/sAD) were observed.
Conclusions:
- Somatization, anxiety, phobic anxiety, hostility, and interpersonal sensitivity symptoms are associated with human skin hypersensitivity.
- Psychological factors warrant consideration in the treatment protocols for sensitive skin.
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