A stigma is currently defined as a discrediting mark, biological or social, that sets a person off from others and disrupts interactions with them. People who differ from social norms in some respect are often negatively labeled. A number of medical conditions are recognized at present as stigmatizing their sufferers and certain skin diseases are among them. The article aimed to analyze the current understanding about stigmatization among dermatological patients, especially those with psoriasis. We performed our search on PubMed up to November 2016 and utilized combinations of key phrases containing such words as stigmatization, skin, dermatology, names of various skin conditions (psoriasis, vitiligo, acne, etc.). Following a precise selection process, 58 articles remained. Stigmatization seems to be a common and important problem in dermatology. Psoriasis appears as the most frequently studied skin disease (37.2% of articles). It was followed by vitiligo (13.7%) and leprosy (8.6%). Mainly, the visibility of skin lesions as well as cultural factors contribute to the feeling of stigmatization. There is a need for more research in the field of stigmatization in dermatological conditions and an urgent need for the creation of special anti-stigmatization program/programs for patients suffering from dermatoses.

IntroductionStigmatization is the phenomenon of labeling negatively people who differ from social norms in some aspect. It seems to be a common and important problem in dermatology. Psoriasis, being a chronic and recurrent skin disease, is frequently associated with various psychosocial consequences.AimTo evaluate the stigmatization level in an Arabic population of psoriatic individuals.Material and methodsA total of 108 consecutive patients suffering from psoriasis were enrolled in the study. All recruited subjects were of Arabic origin. Severity of psoriasis was documented with the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI). Stigmatization was assessed with validated Arabic language versions of the 6-item Stigmatization Scale and the Feelings of Stigmatization Questionnaire. Moreover, all patients were asked to complete the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) questionnaire.ResultsThe majority of patients showed feelings of stigmatization due to psoriasis. The mean level of stigmatization was 5.6 ±4.5 points assessed by the 6-item Stigmatization Scale and 98.4 ±26.4 points by the Feelings of Stigmatization Questionnaire. Positive attitudes and feeling of being flawed were the most bothersome aspects of stigmatization expressed by patients. Involvement of the face appeared to be the only independent factor influencing the stigmatization level. In the Feelings of Stigmatization Questionnaire, itching was found to be a factor responsible for feelings of stigmatization.ConclusionsOur study indicated that stigmatization is common among psoriatic Arabic patients. We postulate that measurement of stigmatization level could contribute to the holistic therapeutic approach of psoriatic patients.

Stigmatization is the assignment of negative perceptions to an individual because of a perceived difference from the population at large. Skin conditions are frequently the reason of social rejection with a consequent negative influence on the personal and social life of patients. The aim of the current study was to review the available instruments that can be successfully utilized to measure the stigmatization level among dermatological patients. We performed our search on PubMed up to November 2016 and utilized combinations of key phrases containing such words as stigmatization, skin, dermatology, names of various skin conditions (psoriasis, vitiligo, acne, etc.), measurement. The search found a considerable number of articles - 548. After filtering them through a precise selection process, 58 articles remained. We concentrated only on the methodological aspects to assess stigmatization in various dermatoses. The review ascertained that there exist numerous instruments in the form of questionnaires. They were utilized in various researches in order to assess the stigmatization level in patients with skin problems. We divided them into two main groups: dermatology specific instruments (6 questionnaires) and dermatosis/disease specific ones (8 questionnaires). It is recommended to use dermatology-specific instruments to compare the stigmatization level in various skin conditions. They can be utilized as well as a first line tools to study the feeling of stigmatization in specific skin diseases; however, where it is possible, they should be supplemented with the disease-specific instrument for deeper analysis of both qualities of life and stigmatization.

Background. Skin diseases are frequently the reason for social rejection. Therefore, the assessment of stigmatization level in patients suffering from dermatoses plays a crucial role in providing proper health service. Objectives. The aim of this study was to create and validate Arabic language versions of stigmatization instruments-the 6-item Stigmatization Scale and the Feelings of Stigmatization Questionnaire. Material and methods. Development of the Arabic language versions was done with international standards of forward-back translations. The validation was performed on 39 psoriatic individuals. The group included 11 females and 28 males. The subjects were asked to fill out both questionnaires: the 6-item Stigmatization Scale and the Feelings of Stigmatization Questionnaire (Arabic language versions) at the time of examination and 7 days after enrollment for reassessment to evaluate test-retest reliability. During the first visit the patients additionally filled out an already existing Arabic version of Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), which was used as a reference questionnaire. Results. The results concerning the integrity of instruments were very good, and the Cronbach's α coefficient for both scales was 0.89. The reproducibility level assessed with interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) stood at 0.91 for the 6-item Stigmatization Scale and 0.92 for the Feelings of Stigmatization Questionnaire. There was a strong correlation between total score of the 6-item Stigmatization Scale and DLQI. Significant negative moderate correlation was documented between the Feelings of Stigmatization Questionnaire and DLQI. Moreover, both stigmatization instruments correlated significantly with each other. Conclusions. The developed Arabic language versions of the abovementioned stigmatization instruments can be successfully used in daily clinical practice as well as in clinical research.

with flare up of long-lasting atopic dermatitis (AD) in July 2019. At the time of presentation, the most visible areas such as face, neck, and hand were severely affected with erythema-scaly lesions. Lichenification, excoriations, and postinflammatory hyperpigmentation were also noticed all over the skin. The patient reported severe itching that restricted his daily activity and prevented from normal sleep.

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Introduction. Cutaneous leiomyomas are rare, benign smooth muscle neoplasms of the skin. According to the origin of the tumor, there are three types of cutaneous leiomyomas: piloleiomyomas, angioleiomyomas and genital leiomyomas. Objective. To present an uncommon case of cutaneous leiomyomas which, due to clinical similarities, had been previously misdiagnosed and managed as keloids. Case report. A 23-year-old woman with Fitzpatrick skin type 4/5 was referred to the outpatient department of dermatology for treatment of keloids on the left shoulder. After examination we decided to take a skin biopsy for histopathological and immunohistochemical investigation, which revealed cutaneous leiomyomas. Conclusions. Cutaneous leiomyomas may be misdiagnosed as keloids. The former are of clinical relevance as they may denote hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer. Early recognition is of paramount importance and may be life-saving. streszczenie Wprowadzenie. Mięśniaki gładkokomórkowe skóry są rzadkimi guzami z mięśni gładkich. Wyróżnia się wśród nich trzy podtypy: piloleiomyoma, angioleiomyoma oraz mięśniaki okolicy płciowej. Cel pracy. Przedstawienie nietypowego przypadku mięśniaków gładko-komórkowych skóry, które na podstawie obrazu klinicznego były wcześniej zdiagnozowane i leczone jak keloidy. Opis przypadku. Kobieta 23-letnia z fototypem skóry 4/5 według Fitzpatricka została skierowana do poradni dermatologicznej w celu leczenia keloidów na lewym barku. Po badaniu klinicznym zdecydowano o wykonaniu biopsji skórnej w celu przeprowadzenia badania histopatologicznego oraz immunohistochemicznego, które wykazały obecność mięśniaków gładkokomórkowych skóry. Wnioski. Mięśniaki gładkokomórkowe skóry mogą być błędnie zdiagnozowane jako keloidy. Guzy te mają znaczenie w praktyce klinicznej, ponieważ ich obecność może świadczyć o wrodzonej mięśniakowato-ści oraz raku nerkowokomórkowym. Wczesne ustalenie diagnozy jest szczególnie ważne i może uratować życie pacjenta.

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