The Skin and Endocrine Disorders

Abstract

Endocrine disorders can exert major effects on the human skin, leading to different signs and symptoms, including skin dryness, hair loss or excessive hair growth, pruritus, pigmentary changes and hyperhidrosis. This chapter reviews these changes and provides a practical approach to patients with suspected underlying endocrinological disorders. The chapter also discusses the latest findings showing that the skin serves as a complex (neuro‐) endocrine organ by itself, and thus possesses important practical implications for future dermatological therapy.