| Popis: |
Objective: Psychocutaneous diseases, such as dermatophagia, are skin manifestations of psychological distress. Cases of this nature are not well documented. Therefore, this study aimed to record cases of skin biting and perform a complete clinical evaluation. Methods: This descriptive case study enrolled sixteen patients treated in a dermatology and psychiatry clinic in Baghdad, Iraq, from 2014 to 2021. All patients with self-inflicted skin disease induced by skin biting were enrolled. A complete medical history was collected and a clinical examination and psychiatric assessment were performed. Results: Out of the sixteen patients who had demonstrated self-skin biting (dermatophagia), ten were males and six were females, with a median age of twenty years, ranging from 14 to 45 years. All patients accepted responsibility for their illness. The type of skin manifestation was nail-biting in seven (46.66%) patients, consisting of five (33.3%) patients with nail dystrophy due to proximal nail fold biting and two (13.33%) patients with nail deformity due to grinding of the distal part of all nail plates. Six (40%) patients presented with skin nodules on the dorsal side of their hands, a single nodule in one patient, and multiple in five patients. Two patients (13.33 %) revealed dermatitis-like, pigmented patches on the dorsal aspect of the hand and fingers. Psychological evaluation revealed the absence of psychosis and brain disorders. Conclusion: Dermatophagia is an emerging form of psychological health problem that has not been well documented. However, diverse dermatological manifestations localized in the hands, such as nail dystrophy, skin nodules, and chronic, dermatitis-like plaques, have been reported. |
