NEURODERMATITIS CIRCUMSCRIPTA: CASE REPORT

Abstract

Introduction: Neurodermatitis circumscripta is estimated to occur in approximately 10% of the population. The highest prevalence usually occurs in middle to late adulthood and often peaks at 30 to 50 years of age, most likely due to the significant increase in stress at this stage of life. The condition is more common in women than men with a ratio of 2:1. Case Description: A 43 year-old patient complaints of redness and itching in the wound in the upper ankle area of the right foot that has worsened in the last 1 week. The patient reported a previous episode of similar symptoms, which occurred in a different location, specifically around the border of the right toe and spread circularly accompanied by redness and blackness. Itching worse when the patient sweats. Dermatologic status was found on the dextra inferior extremity, erythema plaques appeared and some parts had hyperpigmentation accompanied by squamous, exoriation and plaque-size lichenification, irregular shape with firm boundaries scattered only unilaterally on the dextra extremity. This patient was treated with desoximethasone cream 0.25%, gentamycin cream 0.1% and cetirizine 10mg. Conclusion: Neurodermatitis circumscripta or lichen simplex chronicus is a chronic inflammatory skin disease. Topical therapies that can be given to patients are potent topical steroids, antibiotics and keratolytic agents. Lichen simplex chronicus usually improves with treatment, but some case can become persistent, especially when in the genital area.