Psychosocial Burden of Visible Psoriasis Vulgaris Lesions: A Case-Control Study on Social Appearance Anxiety and Psychological Well-Being

Background: Psoriasis vulgaris, particularly when manifesting in highly visible regions such as the face and hands, can profoundly impair self-perception and social functioning. Despite a growing interest in psychodermatology, the specific impact of visible psoriatic lesions on social appearance anxiety remains insufficiently explored. Objective: To assess the severity of social appearance anxiety in patients with visible psoriasis vulgaris lesions compared to healthy controls, and to examine its associations with general anxiety, depression, perceived disease severity, and dermatology-related quality of life. Methods: A cross-sectional case-control study was conducted involving 178 patients diagnosed with psoriasis vulgaris exhibiting visible skin lesions and 196 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. All participants completed the Social Appearance Anxiety Scale (SAAS) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Patients additionally completed the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) to evaluate subjective disease severity. Statistical analyses included group comparisons and Pearson correlations between psychological and clinical parameters. Results: SAAS scores were significantly elevated in the patient group (mean = 60.32 ± 8.10) compared to controls (mean = 22.15 ± 9.05; p < 0.001), indicating a large effect size. In psoriasis patients, social appearance anxiety showed a moderate positive correlation with perceived disease severity (r = 0.293, p < 0.01), while correlations with DLQI and depression scores were not statistically significant. General anxiety levels (HADS-A) demonstrated a moderate correlation with SAAS (r = 0.484, p < 0.01). Conclusion: Visible lesions in psoriasis vulgaris contribute substantially to social appearance anxiety, independent of general psychopathology. These findings underscore the psychological vulnerability of patients with visible psoriatic involvement and highlight the need for integrated psychosocial interventions as part of comprehensive dermatological care.