Stress does hurt skin: Stress and atopic dermatitis

Abstract

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic pruritic inflammatory skin disease with increasing incidence characterized by eczematous inflammation of the skin, a chronically relapsing course and severe pruritus [5]. The major causes of atopic dermatitis remain unknown [6-10]. The clinical manifestations seem to depend on a complex interplay between genetical, constitutional and environmental factors. Stress seems to be an important trigger for atopic dermatitis also being involved in the aggravation and maintenance of the disease.