Psychocutaneous Medicine
UW Health dermatologists offer psychocutaneous medicine at our West and East Clinic locations in Madison, Wisconsin. The connections between the mind and the skin are the basis of psychocutaneous medicine, which provides patients with a unique combination of dermatology and psychiatry treatment.
UW Health is among only a handful of medical practices in the country offering such treatment to patients.
Patients with dermatologic disease related to psychiatric or emotional issues are treated with a variety of therapies, ranging from behavioral therapy to ease anxiety to the use of psychotropic medications to control impulses such as excessive hair pulling and skin picking.
Stress and Relaxation
In many cases in which dermatologic conditions are worsened by stress, a physician works with the patient to develop relaxation and mindfulness techniques, including:
- Meditation
- Breathing exercises
- Muscle-relaxing exercises
If problems are severe enough that anxiety is affecting the patient's livelihood and preventing social interactions with others, then medications to treat the anxiety may also be prescribed.
Potential Benefits of Psychocutaneous Medicine
Psychocutaneous medicine treatment can benefit a variety of patients, including:
- Patients for whom emotional factors such as stress influence the severity of their illness, such as acne, psoriasis and eczema
- Patients who have emotional complications connected to their skin disease, including depression and anxiety
- Patients who suffer from excessive hair pulling and/or skin picking due to anxiety or other emotional problems
- Patients with skin problems secondary to psychotropic medication treatments, such as Lithium
- Patients with psychiatric side effects of dermatology treatments, including particular acne medications
- Patients with cutaneous sensory disorders (abnormal sensations of the skin) for which the medical work-up to explain the condition is negative
Referrals
Patients must be referred for psychocutaneous medicine treatment by a dermatologist. The patient's primary care physician and the referring dermatologist are consulted as psychocutaneous care continues, as well as any therapist or psychiatrist the patient may already have.
For more information, contact your primary care provider.