Self-inflicted pathological cutaneous disorders. Part I

Abstract

Self-inflicted skin disorders are artefact diseases inflicted by the use of multiple different means, for various different purposes. They account for about 2% of dermatology patient visits and include disorders with a denied or hidden pathological behavior (factitious disorders) and disorders with a non-denied and non-hidden pathological behavior (compulsive disorders). In turn, factitious skin disorders are subdivided into two groups: factitious disorders without an external incentive and factitious disorders with external incentives. In addition to the general diagnostic criteria, the present work examines the clinical forms of diseases of the first group (including dermatitis artefacta, Munchausen Syndrome, Munchausen Syndrome by proxy, and Morgellons Syndrome). In this case, the subject suffers from psychological problems and generally aims to attract the attention of the people around him, and in particular of his general practitioner, or else is reacting to difficult or unfavorable environmental conditions by means of an involuntary somatization at the level of the skin. The second part of the work on self-inflicted skin disorders will comprise the factitious disorders with external incentives and the compulsive disorders.