Cypy Healthy

Psychiatric disorders can develop secondary to acne vulgaris. Clinical depression, social phobia, and certain anxiety disorders have been associated with acne. Acne patients report greater levels of anxiety and depression than other medical populations, including cancer patients and other dermatology patients. The prevalence of depression and suicidal ideation was measured in 480 patients with potentially disfiguring dermatological conditions. Clinical depression and suicidal ideation occurred at a significantly greater incidence in the group with acne than in groups with alopecia areata, atopic dermatitis, and mild-to-moderate psoriasis. The only group, that surpassed acne with incidence of clinical depression and suicidal ideation were inpatients with severe psoriasis (with a mean total affected body surface of 52 +/- 23.4%). This study used a group of patients with mild-to-moderate acne. Patients with severe acne may in fact be at similar or greater risk of developing such complications. These findings illustrate the importance of recognizing psychiatric comorbidity in patients with acne.

Suicide is rare in dermatological patients. A study reported sixteen cases of suicide in patients with dermatological conditions. Acne without primary psychiatric illness was the presenting diagnosis in seven of sixteen cases of suicide. All these patients had acne scarring and six of seven had poor response to treatment. Although these observations are clinically relevant, the population size was too small to be statistically significant. The remaining five of sixteen patients had primary psychiatric illness, two of sixteen had chronic and debilitating skin disease and two of sixteen had extenuating social circumstances. This breakdown clearly illustrates that acne can have serious psychiatric sequellae. The authors suggest that a simple psychological screening inventory can help identify patients with severe depressive features. This paper also illustrates the distinction between reactive or secondary depression and primary psychiatric illness, which can present with a complaint that is focused on acne. Such primary psychiatric disorders include obsessive-compulsive disorder and psychosis.

Acne negatively affects psychological health and psychosocial functioning. These characteristics are more subjective than psychiatric conditions, and they lack specific clinical definitions. Studies have found significant impairment in self-image and self-esteem, impairment in psychological well-being, dissatisfaction with appearance, and inhibition of social interactions in acne patients. Finally, acne is a psychophysiologic condition as its physical pathology can probably be exacerbated by psychological stress.