Psychodermatology

[worriedwell]

Curious if those on this board feel there is an available niche for psychiatry to network with dermatologists and specialize in those mental health issues which afflict patient's who go to the dermatologist? I know there are things like delusional parasitosis and neurodermatitis, as well as things like trichotillomania. Also, it seems like there is a lot of depression and anxiety in patients who have dermatologic conditions. STDs also seem to be associated with depression as well (I think I read that about herpes virus especially).

Thoughts on that from my derm colleagues?

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[ny skindoc]

Curious if those on this board feel there is an available niche for psychiatry to network with dermatologists and specialize in those mental health issues which afflict patient's who go to the dermatologist? I know there are things like delusional parasitosis and neurodermatitis, as well as things like trichotillomania. Also, it seems like there is a lot of depression and anxiety in patients who have dermatologic conditions. STDs also seem to be associated with depression as well (I think I read that about herpes virus especially).

Thoughts on that from my derm colleagues?

Yes this is an important developing field.More established in Europe I think,and a journal is devoted to this subject.There are a small number of psychologists and psychiatrists who focus on these issues.Most dermatologists understand this as an important topic but dont have time to deal with it.Academic derm depts I think would be very interested.

 

[worriedwell]

thanks skindoc, appreciate the response. in your experience (or anybody else), are dermatologists willing to refer to psychiatrists. is it common?

 

[missbonnie]

There is a doc over at UCSF that is boarded as a psychiatrist & dermatologist. First did psych, then did derm. He does a lot of work in this area.

Bonnie

 

[IzzyMD09]

I think there is a vast and growing amount of research in to psychodermatoses, I attended several lectures on the subject, and having no interest in psych (even though it is interesting) i learned that there is a strongly supported connection between psychoses and dermatological conditions, some you mentioned,

but there are even manifestations in non dermato-psychoses associated illnesses, for instance recurring psoriais following stressful activities,

truly an amazing field, If i were to ever become a dermatologist (dreaming/loosing sleep) I would probably refer for psych consults more often then not, especially if there is an exacerbation of a pre-existing condition that was idiopathic, idiopathic to me means get a psych consult

trichotilliomania is just one manifestation, there are so many more

I would like to see this more established in the states,

good post
izzy