Appearance of dermatitis artefacta in an adolescent female patient while she underwent treatment for dissociative disorder is described. The possibility of shift of presenting symptom of episodic unresponsiveness to spurious skin lesion during psychotherapy programme was considered to be the method of its causation.

Dermatitis artefacta refers to conditions in which patient self-inflicts excoriations with their own nails, sharp instruments, burning cigarettes or chemicals. there are instances in which recognition of this disorder is difficult. Histological findings are not characteristic and diagnosis depends on the clinical presentation. the differential diagnosis of cutaneous lesions is extensive, depend...