Dermatosis neglecta
| Dermatosis neglecta | |
|---|---|
 | |
| A 35-year-old male, with multiple fractures, neurological deficit and immobility sustained in a fall, leading to the development of dermatosis neglecta of the left hand. Upper image: Dorsum of hand (at presentation). Lower image: Dorsum of hand (after two weeks). | |
| Specialty | Dermatology |
Dermatosis neglecta is a skin condition in which accumulation of
Dermatosis neglecta typically develops several months after a disability or other affliction leads to improper cleaning. Patients may deny that negligence is the cause of the lesion, even though it completely resolves on vigorous rubbing with alcohol swabs or water and soap (which provides both diagnosis and treatment). Recognizing the diagnosis avoids unnecessary
Diagnosis
Differential diagnosis
Many other conditions can lead to localized scaling or hyperpigmentation.
This condition should firmly be distinguished from
Other skin conditions which should not be mistaken for dermatosis neglecta include: terra firma-forme dermatosis
History
The term was first coined by Poskitt and coworkers in 1995.[3]
Examples of case reports from the literature include a man who avoided washing the skin area surrounding an