Self-inflicted skin lesions: a review of the terminology

The current literature on the management of self-inflicted skin lesions points to an overall paucity of treatments with a high level of evidence (randomized controlled trials, controlled trials, or meta-analyses). In order to improve the communication between dermatologists and mental health professionals, the European Society for Dermatology and Psychiatry (ESDaP) recently proposed a classification of psychodermatological terms in order to establish a coherent use of terms across the medical fields involved. We reviewed current and previous psychodermatological diagnoses in order to clarify how the previous plethora of terms is covered by the new classification. This may aid physicians and mental health professionals in understanding how the new classification relates to the prior plethora of psychodermatological diagnoses and thereby facilitate the future use of the new classification.