“Psoriasis, risk of depression in the US population.” Science Daily, September 30, 2015
There’s an adage that claims that beauty’s only skin deep. But for patients in Dallas and elsewhere suffering from skin conditions like psoriasis, what happens in the skin can strongly impact overall mental and physical health. And while to many people, a skin condition might sound like a relatively minor cosmetic problem best ignored until the issue resolves itself, a recent study suggests that certain skin conditions, like psoriasis, can have a significant negative impact on a patient’s mental health. Fortunately, dermatology offers relief from such conditions, though it’s essential that patients work with a licensed and trained dermatologist like Dr. Ellen Turner who treats dermatology patients in Dallas and beyond suffering from psoriasis and a number of other skin conditions.
JAMA Dermatology first published an article about the study in late September, and Science Daily followed up with a shorter piece, titled “Psoriasis, risk of depression in the US population.” Dr. Roger S. Ho of the New York University School of Medicine in New York led the study, in which researchers analyzed data provided by participants in the National Health and Examination Survey between 2009 and 2012. Initially, researchers were looking to identify patients with psoriasis, a condition that affects 3 to 4 percent of the United States population.
There are many different types of psoriasis, which can vary in severity, but at its core, psoriasis is a skin disorder that causes red patches with silver scales to appear on a patient’s skin. The most common location of these scales are the scalp, elbows, knees, and lower back, but the severity, duration, location, shape, and pattern of the scales is unique to each patient. While dermatology has not yet presented a one-size-fits-all cure for psoriasis, patients in Dallas and elsewhere can and should receive relief from moisturizing creams and lotions prescribed by dermatologists. Additionally, Dallas dermatology patients may benefit from exposure to sunlight as prescribed by a dermatologist.
Researchers in the study identified 351 patients with psoriasis, which amounted to 2.8 percent of the responders to the National Health and Examination Survey. They then identified patients with depression, which totaled 968 responders, or 7.8 percent of the people who had responded to the survey. Of the patients diagnosed with psoriasis, 58—or 16.5 percent—also met criteria for a depression diagnosis. Overall, the patients with psoriasis reported higher incidents of depression or feelings of depression than the responders who do not suffer from psoriasis. Doctors who work in dermatology have long known that skin conditions like psoriasis can have a negative psychological impact on patients, but because of the significant health toll depression can also take, this study creates an added urgency for dermatology patients to seek prompt treatment for skin conditions.
Besides an increase in likelihood that they will experience depression, patients with psoriasis were also more likely to report that symptoms of depression prevented them from going about their daily lives, with 23.6 percent stating this compared to 15.4 percent of patients without psoriasis. The broader message for dermatology facilities and practitioners in Dallas and beyond is to take their patients’ overall health into consideration. And, in some cases, a recommendation that dermatology patients with psoriasis seek a depression screening might be beneficial. It isn’t always easy to discuss mental health, and Dallas dermatology patients might not realize that mental health can be linked to particular skin conditions, but dermatologists armed with this knowledge can now be on the lookout for indicators and better serve their dermatology patients.
Dr. Ellen Turner offers medical, surgical, and cosmetic dermatological services in Park Cities and Irving, Texas. She prides herself on offering the most up-to-date and innovative technologies and treatments at her facilities, which boast four qualified estheticians trained by Dr. Turner, and offers a broad range of services for dermatology patients in Dallas. Dr. Turner was trained in medical, surgical, and cosmetic dermatology at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio and the Washington Institute of Dermatologic Laser Surgery. Her background includes the treatment of skin cancer, acne, rosacea, and psoriasis as well as the administration of elective cosmetic procedures. When it comes to dermatology in Dallas and beyond, contact Dr. Turner at (214) 373-7546.
