ABSTRACT
Psychological factors may play a significant role in acne (1). First, emotional stress can exacerbate acne. Second, as a consequence of their acne, patients may develop psychiatric problems related to depression, social phobias, and low self-esteem. Third, patients with primary psychiatric illnesses such as obsessive-compulsive disorder and psychosis may focus on their acne. In this chapter there will be a discussion of how acne and emotional factors connect to help the clinician identify potential psychiatric problems contributing to or resulting from acne.
