title: Photoletter to the editor: Bullous dermatitis artefacta induced with a hot spoon.
abstract: A 22-year-old female presented to the dermatology department with a 8-month history of blistering lesions over the left forearm and face. Most of the bullae and erosions were perfectly round and of nearly the same size. In absence of any obvious etiological, precipitating or aggravating factor, a provisional diagnosis of dermatitis artefacta (self-inflicted dermatological lesions) was made. A detailed anamnesis revealed that stress caused by her ex-boyfriend's threats and apprehension of consequences prompted her to create the lesions using a hot spoon. The patients of dermatitis artefacta usually present to dermatologists as their pathology manifests as unexplained and variable cutaneous lesions which may go undiagnosed for a long time. It is important for the dermatologist to have a high index of suspicion to recognise the underlying psychopathology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32 B, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Mala
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bhalla
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32 B, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Gurvinder Pal
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Thami
keywords: burn; differential diagnosis; factitious disorder; intraepidermal blister; pemphigoid; subepidermal blister