title: Factitious disorders in adults: two cases of unusual skin ulcers.
abstract: The factitious disorders (FDs) include a large group of dermatological conditions characterized by skin lesions that patients themselves self-inflict but deny their active participation. FDs usually represent a diagnostic challenge, and their therapeutic management is usually based on a multidisciplinary approach because most FRD patients also suffer from undiagnosed behavior and personality disorders. We report two cases of FD: one patient that was suffering from severe depression and induced third-degree chemical burns on his own lower limbs, and another patient affected by obsessive-compulsive disorder and anorexia nervosa that presented with deep self-inflicted ulcers on her face. Our multispecialist approach, based on close cooperation between dermatologists and psychiatrists, led to a significant improvement of clinical conditions in both cases. Dermatologists need to be aware that FDs are complex disorders and a multidisciplinary approach is usually recommended to control their clinical course.
authors.affiliation: Dermatological Clinic, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy. Psychiatric Clinic, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy. Corresponding author: a.campanati@univpm.it.
authors.forename: Katia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Giuliodori
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Campanati
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rosa
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Marconi
authors.forename: Andreina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cellini
authors.forename: Giuliano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brandozzi
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ganzetti
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Simoncini
authors.forename: Annamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Offidani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005162:Factitious Disorders / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D012883:Skin Ulcer / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy