Prevalence of psychotropic medication use among cosmetic and medical dermatology patients: a comparative study

Little is known about the psychologic status of cosmetically oriented dermatology patients.

We sought to determine the prevalence of psychotropic medication use among such patients to offer insight into the rates of psychopathology in this group.

We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients seeking consultation at a cosmetic dermatology practice, recorded patients' use of psychotropic medicines, and compared this with data from a control group of medical dermatology patients.

Both groups reported rates of psychotropic medication use above those expected in the general population. There was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of psychotropic drug use between cosmetic (18%) and medical (17%) dermatology patients.

There is not a one-to-one correspondence between psychotropic medication use and the presence of psychopathology. Data are based on patient health histories and, thus, may be subject to underreporting.

There is a relatively high rate of psychotropic drug use among all patients seeking care from dermatologists, but this does not appear to be more common among patients interested in undergoing cosmetic procedures.