Automobile injury: a common familiar risk for presenting and comparing risks in dermatology

Abstract

Highly effective treatments exist in dermatology, yet fears regarding rare potential adverse events lead to poor adherence and treatment refusal. The use of a common identifiable risk, such as the risk of automobile injury warranting a visit to the emergency department, could provide a helpful tool for putting risks into perspective. PubMed and US Department of Transportation data were searched to quantify lifetime risk (LTR) of different dermatologic interventions and compare them to an automobile injury risk unit (RU). The LTR of automobile injury was 32%, defined as 1.0 RU. Herein, we review the dermatologic interventions that are less common and much safer than the risk of automobile injury. The use of a visual tool, using an automobile injury RU as comparator, might help alleviate fears and improve patient outcomes.