[Tattooing and self-mutilation of the skin in neurotic character disorder]. / Tätowierung und Selbstbeschädigung der Haut bei neurotischer Charakterstörung.

Self-tattooing is a form of self-mutilation and may sometimes come close to an 'artefact'. Self-tattooing as an action of autoaggressive self-mutilation or self-destruction is not always necessarily psychotic in nature; it may also be found in patients in whom a depressive personality structure is accompanied by strong masochistic tendencies at a neurotic level. The masochistic excess expresses subconscious guilt and aggression as well as a primitive sense of autonomy. Close collaboration between dermatologist, psychiatrist and psychotherapist is necessary to provide an effective treatment for these patients.

[Reticular elastolytic giant cell granuloma. A variant of the annular elastolytic giant cell granuloma]. / Retikuläres elastolytisches Riesenzellgranulom. Eine Variante des anulären elastolytischen Riesenzellgranuloms.

The case report presented describes a new variant of annular elastolytic giant cell granuloma. Over a period of 10 years, a 40-year-old woman had developed reticular, brown to livid, partly atrophic skin lesions on the shoulders and decolletée. The patient had no subjective symptoms. Histology revealed a patchy lymphohistiocytic infiltrate in the dermis, with many giant cells. Elastic fibres were less frequently found in these infiltrates; in a few of the giant cells and macrophages fragments of elastic fibres were demonstrated within the cytoplasm. There were no deposits of mucin. For this new variant we propose the term "reticular elastolytic giant cell granuloma."