[Self-mutilation from a forensic medicine viewpoint]

The frequency of the diagnosis of self-induced injuries is rising, especially in patients with borderline personality disorder. The number of unreported cases is estimated to be high. Self-mutilation typically affects the patient's skin and therefore often presents to dermatologists or general practitioners. Such injuries are often clinically typical; a knowledge of these features is essential for the correct diagnosis and treatment. Multidisciplinary care is essential because of the tendency for overlap with other psychiatric diseases and the risk of suicide. Self-induced injuries are also used to simulate criminal offences and to fraudulently obtain insurance payments. In these cases appropriate diagnosis is important from both a legal and psychiatric point of view. Typical morphological aspects and combination of clinical signs in cases of self-mutilation are presented from forensic point of view to facilitate confirming the diagnosis.