The Other Itch That Rashes: a Clinical and Therapeutic Approach to Pruritus and Skin Picking Disorders

Acne excoriée: Diagnostic overview and management

Acne excoriée (AE) is a skin picking disorder (SPD) within the group of obsessive compulsive (OCD) and related disorders characterized by the compulsive manipulation of acne lesions. AE typically appears in females during adolescence or young adulthood and can cause significant disfigurement and psychosocial impairment. This disorder is under-recognized due to patient discomfort to disclose excoriation habits or lack of behavior awareness. It is imperative that dermatologists accurately diagnose and treat this disorder to minimize long-term damage to the skin. This review aims to provide an overview of the diagnosis and treatment options for AE.

Abnormalities of Psycho-Emotional State among Patients with Excoriated Acne

The psychopathological features of patients with excoriated acne are analysed. An integrative anx-iety test among 43 patients (mean age 24.7±7.1 years) demonstrated borderline values and a high level of personal anxiety in 46.5% of cases; assessment according to the Beck Depression Inventory revealed subdepression among 25.6% and depression among 13.9% of patients; the Global Severity Index (GSI) of the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R) was in the zone of elevated and high val-ues among 31.1% of patients. The greatest deviations from the norm were observed in the areas of interpersonal sensitivity among 34.9% of patients; dev phobic anxiety – 30.2%; paranoia – 30.2%; while somatisation of complaints was observed among 27.9% of patients. The obsessive-compulsive subscale exceeded normative values among 21% of patients.