Exploring the burden of xerosis cutis and the impact of dermatological skin care from patient's perspective

BACKGROUND: Xerosis cutis is recognized as a burdensome and stressful condition of the skin, resulting in impaired health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Therefore, it should be treated as a relevant skin disease with detailed care and treatment recommendations.

METHODS: This cross-sectional, exploratory study aimed to examine xerosis cutis-related burden from patient's perspective and compare it with individuals without xerosis cutis. Within-group comparisons were also performed among patients with xerosis cutis associated with atopic dermatitis (AD) or not. The second aim was to assess the effect of a routinely applied basic skin care therapy in terms of burden release.

RESULTS: Overall, 127 participants were included in the study. Patients with xerosis cutis reported a lower quality of life (p = .041), more dysmorphic concerns (p < .001), and higher general anxiety (p = .029) than individuals without xerosis cutis. The presence of AD was associated with lower HRQoL (p = .023), more depression (p = .008) and anxiety symptoms (p = .003), and more stigmatization experiences at baseline (p < .001).

CONCLUSION: Patients with xerosis cutis showed higher psychosocial burden than participants without xerosis cutis. Additionally, patients with xerosis and AD had more psychosocial impairments than patients with xerosis without AD.