Although skin picking has been documented in the medical literature since the 19th century, only now it is receiving serious consideration and has been recently approved as a DSM psychiatry disorder in DSM-5. It is characterized by repetitive picking or scratching at one’s skin, resulting in lesions and functional interference or distress. Prevalence rates of 1.4% to 5.4% have been reported. Association with psychiatric comorbidities are common, particularly mood and anxiety disorders. Psychotropic medications and appropriate counseling can be effective treatments.<o:p _rdeditor_exists="1">

The purpose of the poster is to highlight the prevalence of the skin picking disorder, particularly when co-occurring disorders are present, and to evidence the importance of its screening in mental health settings.

Here we report a case of a 66 year-old woman with the diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder who has been presented in the emergency department with a depressive episode and high anxiety levels. In the physical examination we observed large skin lesions, mainly on the back and abdomen, two of them complicated with localized infection requiring oral antibiotic. The patient was treated with clomipramine and pimozide with good response.

Data about pathophysiology of skin picking disorder are still limited. If untreated, skin picking disorder can result in substantial psychosocial dysfunction and may lead to life-threatening medical problems. Although most reports have concentrated on its relation to the obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders, in some studies there is a significantly higher frequency of depression in those patients.