Relative Changes in the Pattern of Diseases Presenting in Dermatology Outpatient Clinic in the Era of the COVID-19 Pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a study from Turkey observed a significant shift in dermatologic conditions presented at an outpatient clinic, comparing data from April 1 to May 31, 2020, with the same period in 2019. Admissions dropped by approximately 70% in April and 77% in May year-over-year. Notably, there were increases in scabies, contact dermatitis, psoriasis, pityriasis rosea, urticaria, and alopecia areata one month into the pandemic, and scabies, alopecia areata, telogen effluvium, acne vulgaris, and xerosis cutis two months after. The study suggested a possible link between these skin conditions and asymptomatic COVID-19 carriage, as well as the emotional stress of the pandemic potentially triggering hair diseases like alopecia areata and telogen effluvium. While psoriasis hospitalizations may be related to treatment compliance and COVID-19 infection, acne cases initially decreased but later increased, potentially due to lockdown effects and mask usage. Conditions such as dermatophytosis, warts, molluscum contagiosum, and recurrent aphthous stomatitis decreased, possibly due to postponed visits or reduced transmission during lockdowns. The study's limitations include its retrospective design, single-center focus, and lack of comprehensive patient data. Further research is recommended to explore the connections between dermatologic diseases and COVID-19.