Psychologic factors in the development of facial dermatoses

Abstract In medical literature, as well as in daily practice, some common facial dermatoses are considered to be influenced or triggered by emotional factors. The main damager is stress, but depression and anxiety may play a role, among other factors. Some patients may experience a vicious cycle: Their facial dermatosis is triggered or worsened by stress, and in turn, the exacerbation itself is a major stressogenic stimulus. It appears that clinical wisdom and experience preceded clinical investigation in this field. Although patients testify that their emotional state may sometimes influence their facial condition, only limited experimental data exist so far, and only a few facial dermatoses were investigated.