More than Skin Deep: Understanding the Impact of Autoimmune Skin Diseases on Women’s Health

Autoimmune conditions cause a person’s immune system to attack the body’s own tissues and organs, including the skin. Because the skin is so visible and important to the body’s physiological function, skin diseases can impact a person’s physical and mental wellbeing and carry a large public health burden, despite their relative understudy.

Atopic dermatitis (a common type of eczema) is characterized by itchy, dry, flakey, and irritated skin, and can affect women differently over the lifespan. In the United States, an estimated 16.5 million people are affected with atopic dermatitis. 700,000 people have been diagnosed with alopecia areata, which causes hair loss primarily in small round patches on the scalp, but can also affect eyebrows, eyelashes, and other hair-bearing areas of the body. Up to 30% of ~8 million individuals with psoriasis will also develop psoriatic arthritis. This immune-mediated condition has inflammatory affects on the skin, joints, and tendons. These are just three autoimmune and immune-mediated skin diseases that affect women disproportionately and differently than men.

On October 18, 2021, SWHR hosted a virtual public forum where panelists discussed the health, social, and economic impacts of autoimmune skin diseases on women – as patients, as caregivers, and as both.