How should patients with dermatitis artefacta be treated?

In most patients, the creation of the skin lesions satisfies an internal psychological need. In some cases, the disease is transient and triggered by a recent event or stress; however, in many cases, the disease is chronic or recurrent, and it is best evaluated by a qualified psychiatrist or psychologist with expertise in this area. In patients who refuse psychiatric referral, some success has been reported with atypical antipsychotic agents and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors at higher doses.