Clinical and experimental dermatology
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Clin. Exp. Dermatol. · Dec 2013
Case ReportsDermatitis artefacta in a vulnerable adult with a dissociative state.
Dermatitis artefacta (DA), a factitious skin disorder, often occurs as a response to traumatic life events or as a factitious behaviour, which may result in secondary gain. It can be difficult to get patients to engage with health services, and they seldom admit to causing the lesions themselves. ⋯ We present a case of DA diagnosed in a vulnerable adult, who we believe caused the lesions during periods of dissociation. We discuss the way in which the concept of dissociation can provide an acceptable way of discussing the behaviour with patients and initiating psychological therapy.
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Clin. Exp. Dermatol. · Mar 2013
Case ReportsMycobacterium chelonae infection: a complication of tattooing.
We describe an outbreak of Mycobacterium chelonae infection in four young immunocompetent patients who were tattooed by the same artist. All had been previously tattooed without complication, but following the latest tattooing session, they all developed a very similar papular eruption confined to skin that had been newly coloured light grey. ⋯ M. chelonae was also cultured from the contents and nozzle of an opened bottle of light-grey ink from the tattoo parlour frequented by the patients. Dermatologists should consider mycobacterial infection in patients who develop inflammatory changes within a new tattoo.