Adults with atopic eczema reported higher levels of suicidal ideation compared with patients without the condition in a multinational survey presented at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology Congress 2025. Thirteen percent of patients with physician-confirmed atopic eczema reported suicidal thoughts, compared with about 9% of patients without the disease. The association was observed across pediatric, adolescent, and adult patients.

Several factors were linked to increased risk. Patients younger than 30 years were more likely to report suicidal thoughts, and patients with obesity also had higher odds. Moderate to severe disease doubled the likelihood of suicidal ideation. Symptoms such as frequent itching, skin pain, and overall high symptom intensity were associated with increased risk. Sleep disturbance further contributed, with mixed insomnia—difficulty initiating and maintaining sleep—showing a clear association. Patients with suicidal ideation also reported higher levels of skin-related social stigma.

Atopic eczema affects more than 200 million people worldwide and is characterized by recurrent dry, itchy, and inflamed skin. The Scars of Life study included 30,801 adults from 27 countries across 5 continents between June and September 2024, of whom 15,223 had physician-confirmed atopic eczema and 7,968 were controls. Participants completed an online questionnaire that collected sociodemographic information, self-reported suicidal ideation, symptom severity, and experiences of stigma.

Several limitations were noted in the study: first, the research was cross-sectional and observational, which prevented causal conclusions. Suicidal ideation was measured through self-report rather than clinical interview, which may affect reliability. "Important cultural differences" may be reflected in the results as well, said Delphine Kerob, MD, consultant dermatologist at Saint Louis Hospital in Paris and Scientific Director of La Roche-Posay Laboratoire Dermatologique, in discussing next steps of the research; namely, "investigating why suicidal ideation occurs at different rates across countries."

She continued, “Ongoing analyses from the “Scars of Life” study are enhancing our understanding of what happens beneath the surface in patients with atopic eczema."