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The role of psychological stress in skin disease

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  • Published:
Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery

Abstract

Background

Numerous case reports and studies have suggested that psychological stress may have a role in the onset or exacerbation of a variety of skin diseases.

Objective

We review the literature pertaining to the role of psychological stress in the exacerbation of psoriasis, urticaria, eczematous dermatitis, herpesvirus infections, and other skin diseases; discuss potential mechanisms of stress-induced skin disease; and review studies and case reports of psychotherapeutic interventions that have been found helpful in the therapy of skin diseases.

Conclusions

There is evidence linking psychological stress to exacerbation of certain skin diseases. Both the clinical and the basic science evidence, however, can be hard to interpret in light of the difficulty of defining and quantifying psychological stress as well as the questions regarding the etiologic significance of neuroimmunologic findings in skin diseases.

Sommaire

Antécédents

De nombreux rapports de cas et de nombreuses études ont révélé que le stress psychologique peut jouer un rôle dans l’apparition ou l’exacerbation de diverses affections cutanées.

Objectif

Revoir la documentation portant sur le rôle du stress psychologique dans l’exacerbation du psoriasis, de l’urticaire, de la dermatite eczémateuse, des infections à herpèsvirus et autres affections cutanées, décrire les mécanismes potentiellement responsables des affections cutanées dues au stress, et revoir les études et les rapports de cas sur les interventions psychothérapeutiques qui se sont avérées utiles dans le traitement des affections cutanées.

Conclusion

On a la preuve qu’il existe un lien entre le stress psychologique et l’exacerbation de certaines affections cutanées. Les arguments relevant à la fois de la clinique et des sciences fondamentales, cependant, peuvent être difficiles à interpréter compte tenu des problèmes que posent la définition et la quantification du stress psychologique de même que des questions concernant la signification étiologique des manifestations neuro-immunologiques observées dans les affections cutanées.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology, New York University School of Medicine, 10016, New York, New York

    Arash Kimyai-Asadi MD

  2. Department of Dermatology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, 10032, New York, New York

    Adil Usman

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  1. Arash Kimyai-Asadi MD
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  2. Adil Usman
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Correspondence to Arash Kimyai-Asadi MD.

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Kimyai-Asadi, A., Usman, A. The role of psychological stress in skin disease. J Cutan Med Surg 5, 140–145 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02737869

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