Stress And Skin Diseases Psychosomatic Dermatology

Dermatological conditions are intimately related to stress. Stress can affect, reveal or even exacerbate a number of skin disorders, including alopecia, seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, pruritus, herpes, lichen planus, rosacea and urticarial. On the other hand, the skin disease itself could induce a secondary stress for the patient, influencing his or her quality of life. There is increasing evidence that stress influences disease processes and contributes to inflammation through the modulating hypothalamicpituitary- adrenal axis – releasing neuropeptides, neurotrophins, lymphokines and other chemical mediators from nerve endings to dermal cells. This is one of the first books published on this topic, focusing more on the basic science aspects of stress in dermatopathology (oxidants, antioxidants, and oxidative injury in dermatopathology, dermatopharmacology, and dermatotoxicology.) Most Psychodermatology texts adopt a practical approach to identify all types of Psychodermatology disorders, focusing on clinical treatment. This concise title offers a comprehensive and didactic approach to skin diseases caused or exacerbated by stress, as well as covers the immunology, role and effect of stress on skin disease, and quality of life in dermatology. In the current programs of medical residency in dermatology, little is taught about the relationship between stress and skin diseases and this book is an important tool for young dermatologists and psychodermatologists in training.

This reference presents research and clinical developments in the field, presenting comprehensive, problem-focused approaches to psychodermatology. It offers a panoramic perspective of worldwide research efforts to improve the understanding and treatment of the psychodermatological patient.

Practicing dermatologists are likely to encounter several patients who have psychological difficulties in dealing with various skin conditions. While there are several factors that might be responsible for these difficulties (such as physical and mental stress), it is becoming increasingly clear nowadays that skin disease patients experiencing such issues need to be managed with a multidisciplinary approach to improve treatment outcomes. Skin and the Psyche delves into the realm of psychodermatology – the cusp of dermatology, psychology and psychiatry. The book enhances the reader´s knowledge about relevant topics such as the biology of the skin, the impact of stress on skin inflammation, acne vulgaris, skin diseases secondary to delusions and other psychiatric diseases, psoriasis and much more. Different forms of non-pharmacological treatments of these diseases are also mentioned. The book also contains a concise guide to building a psychodermatology clinic. Skin and the Psyche is a vital reference for dermatologists, hospital managers and psychiatrists looking for tips to improve their ability to interact with individuals while assisting them to cope with dermatological diseases and conditions.

This book is the first text written by a multidisciplinary team of psychiatrists, psychologists, child specialists and dermatologists for all the health professionals who treat patients with skin problems. They cover a broad range of issues affecting these patients from stigma and coping to quality of life and psychological treatments.

Clinical cases are a key component in modern medical education, assisting the trainee or recertifying clinician to work through unusual cases using best practice techniques. Dermatology is an important discipline in this regard since it is a highly visual subject requiring the reader to describe often very subtle differences in the presentation of patients and define accurately the diagnostic and management criteria to base their clinical decision-making on. This is particularly the case in the field of psychocutaneous disease where scientific advances are shedding new light on the understanding and treatment of long-recognized conditions located at the interface of dermatology and psychiatry. Psychodermatology covers all aspects of how the mind and body interact in relation to the onset and progression of various skin disorders.

This book represents a simple, practical resource for all healthcare professionals working with dermatological patients with psychological aspects to their disease. The emphasis is on effective guidance rather than exhaustive case reviews, providing readers with a manual on the appropriate way to approach management of the patient in each case. Comprehensive in coverage, but concise in its delivery of information, Psychodermatology in Clinical Practice presents an idealized approach to management of psychodermatology patients within a global perspective, and provides practical tools to aid assessment of patients and in the decision-making process. It is suitable for dermatologists, psychiatrists and psychologists, dermatology nursing staff, primary care physicians and pediatricians.