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Psychopathological Disorders

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The Difficult Hair Loss Patient

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Abstract

It is a common experience among dermatologists that a significant number of their patients have psychological overlays to their chief complaints. This particularly holds true for complaints related to conditions of the hair and scalp. The exact incidence in any particular dermatologic practice most likely depends on the dermatologist’s interest; however, even for those dermatologists who are not specially interested in the psychological aspects of dermatologic disease, some patients have such overt psychopathologic conditions, such as trichotillomania, factitial dermatitis, or delusions of parasitosis, that even the least psychologically minded dermatologist feels obliged somehow to address the psychological issues. Ideally, this would be accomplished simply through referral of the patient to a mental health professional. In reality, the majority of psychodermatologic patients are reluctant to be referred to a psychiatrist. Many lack the insight regarding the psychological contribution to their dermatologic complaints; others fear the social stigmatization of coming under the care of a psychiatrist.

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  1. Dermatologische Praxis & Haarcenter, Wallisellen (Zürich), Switzerland

    Ralph M. Trüeb

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Trüeb, R.M. (2015). Psychopathological Disorders. In: The Difficult Hair Loss Patient. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-19701-2_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-19701-2_5

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