What is Psychodermatology?

Stress affects people in countless different ways. It may cause a bad habit - like smoking, nail biting, drinking, etc. - and it might even trigger hormone related problems, like acne. What's worse, stress can even cause previous conditions to flare up. Conditions like eczema and frequent hives can get far worse if you're going through emotional stress, but why does this happen?

A psychodermatologic disorder is a problem or condition that "involves an interaction between the mind and the skin."¹ There are different types of psychodermatologic disorders - self induced ones like hair pulling, disorders that become worsened during stress, and disorders that cause severe social and psychological problems due to a prior severe or disfiguring condition. Many people suffer from different skin conditions that cause emotional anguish and stress, from the teenager with acne to someone with a severe deformity.

Psychodermatology is a field that seems to combine the science of dermatology with psychology and psychiatry. There are many interesting ways that our minds can affect our skin, and many of them are frustrating to say the least. Cortisol is a body's stress hormone, and it's levels rise when we feel emotional pain and mental anguish. This can cause your skin to feel almost immediate effects, such as oily skin and clogged pores that leads to problem acne. Acne isn't the only negative thing stress can do to your skin - according to a study in 2001, it's also been said to reduce your skin's effectiveness as a barrier. It may also cause a decline in your skin's natural ability to heal itself after you get injured.²

Your skin faces the consequences of your mind on occasion, that's pretty obvious. It doesn't stop there, though. The amount of abuse your mind takes has a pretty direct correlation with the look of your hair and nails, too. Just as you might break out before the prom, you might also shed hair in the shower before an interview. Biting your nails is bad enough, and it can lead to serious problems that your dermatologist might not be able to solve on his or her own. Nail biting is a psychological behavior, and it's a tough habit to break. People curl their hair around their fingers which tugs at roots and causes split ends. Alopecia can be worsened if you go through an emotionally traumatic event, and some people even pull their hair or worse if they go into a rage. The mind has powerful effects on our skin, even without simply discoloring it or causing acne - we do harmful things to our skin, hair, and nails every day, sometimes without even realizing it.

Thankfully, there have been great advances in the field of psychodermatology. Many of the disorders that you may already be diagnosed with have been found to have psychological roots, and can be better treated now that their link with our skin better understood. Conditions that are now considered to be psychodermatologic are: acne, psoriasis, rosacea, urticaria (recurring hives), dermatitis, trichotillomania, cystic acne, vitiligo, and alopecia. Even people with delusions of parasitosis are said to have severe psychodermatological conditions because of the toll it can take all over the body. (Parasitosis: a disease resulting from parasitic infestation.³ - a delusion of parasitosis is when a person believes they are suffering from a condition like this but it is simply psychological.)

Talking to your dermatologist AND your psychologist / therapist can be a life saver if you have a psychodermatological condition. In the end, it's up to you who you talk to about your conditions, so make sure you're making a choice that leaves your skin in the most capable hands.

More fantastic information on psychodermatology at WebMD!

¹ Full definition at aafp.org
² More info on this study at ScienceDaily.com
³ Definition from dictionary.com