Scars from eczema and vitiligo run more than skin deep
Visible skin conditions can cause mental health problems, especially among young patients, but help is at hand.
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Visible skin conditions may be a significantly under-recognised contributor to youth mental health struggles, says the writer.
PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO
Emily Gan Yiping
I sighed as Mary walked out of the consultation room. Her sense of disappointment and low self-esteem were palpable in the silence of the room. Thirteen-year-old Mary (I am changing the names of my patients to protect their privacy) has been struggling with vitiligo for the last two years. She has gone through phototherapy, applied topical medications and taken oral supplements to treat her vitiligo.
Mary’s condition had improved but recently became active again, and she was feeling upset with the spreading patches. Her mother, who had accompanied her to the appointment, shared that Mary has been finding it difficult to adjust to secondary school life, as she is conscious about the white patches on her skin, especially on her face and hands. As a result, she has become more withdrawn and has also restricted her choice of co-curricular activity to an indoor option as she wants to avoid sun exposure.
