Exploring the phenomenon of social appearance anxiety in individuals suffering from seborrheic dermatitis: Comprehensive insights derived from a case-control study

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of our meticulously designed study is to thoroughly investigate and delineate the extent to which individuals afflicted with seborrheic dermatitis, particularly those exhibiting facial manifestations of this dermatological condition, experience significant psychological distress that may adversely impact their self-perception as measured by the Social Appearance Anxiety Scale (SAAS), while simultaneously comparing these findings against a group of healthy individuals serving as controls. METHODS: In the framework of our research, we meticulously recruited a sample comprising 120 individuals diagnosed with seborrheic dermatitis characterized by facial involvement, whose ages ranged from 18 to 65 years, alongside 118 healthy control participants who were strategically matched for key demographic variables, including age, gender, and educational attainment to ensure the integrity of our comparative analysis. Both the patient participants and the healthy controls underwent a systematic administration of a range of validated psychometric tools, particularly the SAAS and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale. Further, the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and Visual Analog Scales (VAS) were exclusively utilized for the subset of individuals within the patient population. RESULTS: Through comprehensive statistical analysis, the mean scores acquired from the Social Appearance Anxiety Scale (SAAS) for the patient and control groups were 52.10 and 21.35 points, respectively. Accordingly, it was concluded that the average SAAS score observed in the patient group was substantially higher than that recorded in the control group, with a p-value of less than 0.01 reflecting a statistically significant observation. CONCLUSION: The presence of seborrheic dermatitis lesions located on visible areas of the skin engenders a notable degree of anxiety among affected individuals, primarily stemming from concerns regarding their physical appearance. This investigation underscores the critical need for individuals experiencing such dermatological manifestations to receive holistic treatment that addresses their psychiatric and dermatological needs.