Dermatitis artefacta in a patient affected by impulse control disorder: case report

Dermatitis artefacta is a disease characterized by self-inflicted skin lesions in fully aware patients. Mechanical and chemical devices are most commonly used to produce such injuries. Several psychological disorders like depression, obsessive compulsive disorders, hysteria, etc. are associated with this kind of disease. Most of the patients are young females aged between 15 and 30, but the diagnosis of dermatitis artefacta may even be made in pediatric patients or elderly people. Because of its rarity and the polymorphism of lesions, dermatitis artefacta is often a challenge for the clinicians. More difficulties might be due to the lack of cooperation in these patients, who usually refuse the dialogue with doctors and deny their primary role in damaging their skin. We present a case of an elderly woman who showed a peculiar pattern of deep excoriating lesions disseminated on the upper part of her body, with an evident state of depression. Diagnostic and therapeutic procedure, that is often long lasting and difficult in such cases, was made by teamwork of dermatologists, psychiatrists and psychologists, leading to steady control of impulses and full remission of cutaneous symptoms.