Atopic Eczema Research Papers

Eczema or atopic dermatitis is a medical condition of rough, inflamed patches of skin with blisters that cause itching and bleeding, sometimes resulting from a reaction to irritation. It may initiate a vicious cycle referred to as the ‘Itch-Scratch” cycle where the itch evokes the behavior of scratching which increases inflammation and causes excitation of nerve fibers, thus leading to more itching and scratching. Skin conditions like this may have people may often feel embarrassed about discussing their psychologic issues to their doctor, especially if they feel hurried. Stressful life events preceding the onset of disease have been found in more than 70% of atopic dermatitis patients according to Psychodermatology: A Guide to Understanding
This category of mental disorders is believed to not be caused by a general medical condition or drug. One example is trichotillomania, a condition in which a person pulls out his or her own hair from the scalp, face, legs, and other areas as well. In a study, about 5% of patients at a dermatology clinic had obsessive-compulsive disorder or OCD (Shenefelt). Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a primary factor in trichotillomania and can be strongly shown through a person’s skin. The underlying psychiatric diagnoses include reaction to situational stress, mental retardation, depression and anxiety, as well as extremely rare cases of delusion in which the patient pulls out his or her hair based on a delusional belief that something in the roots needs to be “dug out” so the hair can grow normally. This could exacerbate a preexisting skin disease such as acne on the face or eczema on the body when picking at the skin. Medications such as Paxil or Zoloft in dosages appropriate for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder, can be helpful in the pharmacologic management of