Dermatology

Dermatology Health Psychology

dermatology-psychologyPsychological factors and the skin interact in many ways.

  • Skin problems can impact self-esteem and social interactions, particularly when they are highly visible in conditions like cystic acne, alopecia areata, and psoriasis.
  • Stress can worsen or cause flares in skin conditions such as rosacea, hives, and psoriasis.
  • Psychological factors can create skin disorders. It is not uncommon for people with depression and anxiety to unknowingly pick and scratch at their skin, resulting in scabs and scarring. Unfortunately, scratching inflames the skin and increasing itching, which makes the cycle difficult to break.

Psychological treatments include learning specific relaxation strategies to reduce the stress response, understanding and controlling triggers to stress, and effectively treating depression and anxiety. We often work with your dermatologist or other health provider to help you get the best outcomes.