The European Society for Dermatology and Psychiatry (ESDaP) - a sister society of the EADV since 1983 - is looking back at almost a quarter of a century of clinical experience and scientific research in the field of psychodermatology. Since the foundation of a ESDaP an increasing number of articles in scientific journals and several books have appeared which document the paramount importance of taking into account the impact of psychological problems and the need of their management in dermatology and venerology: recent epidemiological studies have for showed instance that 25-30% of all dermatological patients have severe psychological problems which have to be treated additionally.

ESDaP has been actively participating to all annual EADV congresses; moreover, it organizes its own congress with broad international (European and overseas) participation every two years. The last congress took place at the University of Giessen/Germany, a research a clinical center where psychodermatology has always been given high consideration. The 2005 congress has given a chance to dermatologists, psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses as well as other people working in the field of psychodermatology to meet and exchange their ideas and set up new projects.

The next ESDaP congress will take place from June 14th until June 17th, 2006 in Wroclaw (Poland). This witnesses the increasing interest of our Eastern European colleagues in psychodermatology.

Guidelines for psychodermatology are beeing established by different teams: The German Working Group, the Belgo-Italian psychosomatic research group and the French society for psychosomatic dermatology.
They reflect the fact that psychodermatology is not confined to ‘classical psychodermatological subjects” such as delusion of parasitosis or factitious disorders, but concerns also other, more general aspects of dermatology such as diagnosis (for instance in as far as countertransference is concerned) and other faces of the doctor/patient relationship, optimisation of treatment, compliance and other aspects of the whole discipline for all dermatological patients.
Public Health Issues such as quality of life or patients’ education are likewise closely connected with our subdiscipline – as reflected by the impact of the recent psychotherapeutical or educational programs developed for patients patients affected by atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, chronic urticaria or acne..(similar projects for other dermatological diseases are currently being developed)

But also basic science is connected with psychodermatology, as shown by the results achieved during the last decades in psychoneuroimmunological research. Increased knowledge about psychoimmunological and psychoendocrine pathways shows evidence of mechanisms of influence from stress, depression or other psychological factors on skin diseases..

Depression, anxiety and other affective disorders are a common concern for physicians dealing with dermatological patients. Diagnostic tools need to be further refined, and optimisation of therapeutical strategies, combining psychotherapeutical, social and pharmacological interventions, is needed to achieve a maximum benefit for the patients. The practical and theoretical contribution of psychodermatology in this respect is irreplaceable.

An ever increasing rate of patients (presently about as many as 10% of the total number) seeking advice from cosmetic dermatologists or plastic surgeons is actually affected – to a greater of less extent – by some sort of body dismorphic disorder (BDD). This accounts for the paramount importance of this disease, where much research – especially concerning epidemiological aspects - has been completed but where more is still needed.

Likewise, patients seeking advice from dermatologists not uncommonly present also with signs of factitious disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, hypochondria, social phobia or/and anxiety,


It is hence understandable that we are obtaining increasing evidence of the efficacy of psychotherapeutic interventions (psychodynamic therapies, behaviour therapy, psychotherapy with psychoanalytical orientation, family systemic therapy, Relaxation training, body work etc. with dermatological patients. Also psychotropic drugs are more and more used in dermatology - thus requiring dermatologists to achieve special skills and knowledges in this field – since these drugs may need to be offered to ‘difficult’ patients who may show an important psychological (co)etiology of the complaints but may at the same time be reluctant or totally unwilling to be referred to a psychiatrist.


The president of the ESDaP is Prof. Dr. Michael Musalek (psychiatrist, Vienna), who founded the society in 1983 together with Dr. John Cotterill, (consultant dermatologist, Leeds) and Prof. Peter Berner (psychiatrist, Vienna). President elect is Dr. Sylvie Consoli (dermatologist, psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, Paris) and the secretary is Dr. Francoise Poot (dermatologist, psychotherapist, Brussels)

In most European countries scientific societies, work groups or groups of interest for psychodermatology have come into being, although in some countries, only a few – sometimes one or two - dermatologists are interested in psychocutaneous issues. As it is the case for the dermatological national societies and the EADV board, representatives of psychodermatological national societies and work groups from most European countries are present in the ESDaP steering committee.

ESDaP is organizing a summer course in psychodermatology in 2007 in Brussels with the help and funding of the EADV – this is to be seen within the EADV fostering program for dermatology trainees from all European countries.

ESDaP is hence a well recognized sister society of EADV, ESDaP symposiums are always filled up with interested dermatologist from all over the world .

ESDaP is the largest society in the world dealing with psychocutaneous issues, and is in touch with other, similar Societies : Association of Psychocutaneous Medicine of North American, US and Osaka Psychodermatology Research Group,Japan.