A case of dermatitis artefacta: Clues which help early diagnosis

Abstract

A 26-year-old married female presented with a complaint of recurrent multiple ulcerative lesions on her body. After complete history and physical examination, a diagnosis of dermatitis artefacta was made. Dermatitis artefacta remains undiagnosed for quite some time because of its atypical skin changes, diverse methods used for producing skin lesions, lack of awareness about the disorder on the part of physicians, nonspecific histology, and normal blood tests. An early and correct diagnosis is helpful in avoiding unnecessary investigations, and allowing better patient management. In this particular case, there were three important clues (medical history, morphology of the lesions, and the patient's behavior) which paved the way for an early diagnosis of this rather puzzling and rare disorder.