Pigment deviation is more than just a cosmetic problem

October 26, 2020

Pigment deviation is a common problem that patients regularly encounter during my dermatological consultation. One aspect that particularly struck me is the psychological burden associated with visible pigment spots. Having pigment spots can have a major emotional impact. Unfortunately, little data is available on the occurrence of this strain and the factors involved.

Study on pigment deviation and anxiety disorder

One study studied 100 patients with various pigment disorders, including both white and dark spots such as vitiligo, melasma, and Acquired Dermal Macular Hyperpigmentation (ADMH).

Using questionnaires, the researchers tried to find out exactly what the influence of their pigment disorders is and how this affects their quality of life, somatoform disorders, general anxiety and depression. A somatoform disorder can be defined as “a mental illness in which a person has physical complaints for which no somatic cause (physical illness) has been found”. The patient therefore experiences real physical complaints, which are not imagined

The results showed that generalized anxiety disorders occurred in 11.6%, 21% and 18.7% of patients with melasma, vitiligo and ADMH, respectively.
Depression, on the other hand, was noted in 12.8%, 27% and 24.1% of patients with melasma, vitiligo and ADMH, respectively.
Somatoform disorders were more common in vitiligo (17.9%) compared to ADMH (14.3%) and melasma (8.1%).
The overall trend in all conditions showed a proportional linear relationship between the severity of the skin disease and the intensity of the anxiety and depression.

The research shows that pigment disorders in the skin are more than just a cosmetic problem. Anxiety disorders, depression and somatoform disorders are often associated with pigmentary disorders, especially vitiligo and ADMH.