Neurotic Excoriations (For Professionals)

Neurotic Excoriations (For Professionals)

• The differential diagnosis is dermatitis artefacta, however patients with neurotic excoriations admit to scratching.
• The condition is more frequent in females

• Types of behaviour patterns inducing neurotic excoriations

1. compulsive type: relieves anxiety
2. impulsive type: relieves tension and brings arousal, pleasure.
3. mixed type

• Patients with neurotic excoriations often suffer from one or more of the following conditions (comorbidity):

1. depression
2. bipolar
3. stress
4. anxiety
5. alcoholism
6. phobia
7. …

• Treatment can be with or without medication and includes the following:

1. behavioural therapy
2. hypnosis
3. psychoanalysis and psychotherapy
4. selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI)
5. treatment of comorbidities

Contributors:

Dr Christophe HSU – dermatologist. Geneva, Switzerland

Source of information: Misery L. Psychogenic Excoriations-The skin picking syndromes. 19th Congress of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) – Gothenburg (Göteborg), Sweden (Sverige)