A missing perspective: the burden of skin disease in women

Sponsored by Organon

In this week's Expert View, Greg Kylish, Global Brand Lead, Organon Dermatology, highlights the unique hormonal and psychological burdens faced by women and families, advocating for a more nuanced, patient-centric approach to treatment.

Skin disease is one of the most common health challenges in the world, ¹ affecting more than a third of the global population across conditions ranging from the chronic and inflammatory to the infectious and rare. ^2,3 And yet dermatology remains a field where significant gaps persist: in access, in diagnosis, in conversations at doctor’s offices, ^{4 , 5 , 6} and critically, in how well the solutions available reflect the needs of those living with the conditions.

The industry has made meaningful progress, but that progress still often lacks understanding of the lived experiences of women and how they are uniquely affected by chronic skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis and psoriasis.

The gendered impact of skin disease across life stages

For women, chronic skin disease is shaped by hormonal changes across a lifetime – through menstruation, pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and menopause – which can directly influence when a condition develops, how severe it becomes and how it manifests over time, ^{7 , 8 , 9} with potential long-term treatment implications.

Take atopic dermatitis in pregnancy, a condition that causes persistent itch, disrupted sleep and visible lesions. ¹⁰ It is the most common skin condition experienced during pregnancy, ¹¹ and in around 80% of cases, it is a first-time diagnosis. ¹² That means a significant number of women encounter this disease for the very first time at one of the most treatment-constrained, emotionally loaded moments of their lives.

The picture for women living with psoriasis is equally striking. Research consistently shows that women with psoriasis report a worse quality of life than men, with higher rates of fatigue, health-related work disability, loneliness and stigmatization. ^{13 , 14} Beyond the skin’s surface, these conditions can have a ripple effect on a woman’s life for years.

A burden that extends beyond the skin

The burden of chronic skin disease extends far beyond visible symptoms. For women living with atopic dermatitis or psoriasis, the psychological toll is significant and well documented. Psoriasis patients are at least one and a half times more likely to experience symptoms of depression than those without the condition, ¹⁵ and women carry a disproportionately greater share of that mental health burden. ^{16 , 17}

For many, the psychological strain of managing an unpredictable, chronic condition can itself worsen symptoms, which can create a cycle in which mental health and disease severity become tightly intertwined. ^{18 , 19 , 20 , 21}

That burden can deepen further when atopic dermatitis affects a child in the household. For young patients, persistent itch, disrupted sleep and visible lesions can interfere with mood, development, learning and social belonging, increasing the risk of anxiety, depression and bullying. ^{22 , 23 , 24} For mothers and caregivers, the condition frequently reshapes daily life, contributing to exhaustion, emotional strain, disrupted sleep and feelings of burnout or guilt. ²⁵ In these families, atopic dermatitis is not an individual diagnosis alone but a condition that reaches across the household, affecting wellbeing, routines and relationships well beyond the skin.

Expanding the treatment toolkit: a shared responsibility

Against this backdrop, how treatment conversations evolve becomes critically important. When patients, parents and caregivers ask healthcare professionals about long-term management, evidence and personalized options, they are often seeking not just clinical guidance, but recognition of their lived experience. Research has shown that some young women with eczema and psoriasis feel diminished both by societal stigma and, at times, within clinical encounters when seeking help, highlighting a gap not in intent, but in understanding. ²⁶

It’s critical to ensure that treatment discussions are inclusive, empathetic and supported by a sufficiently broad range of options. Strengthening these conversations can help doctors and patients navigate the complex realities of chronic skin disease together, through shared, patient-centric decision-making.

From a disease-management perspective, the opportunity is clear: to ensure access to treatment options that reflect the diversity of patients’ needs — from women whose disease fluctuates with hormonal changes, to children requiring long-term management, and to patients for whom steroidal therapies are not the answer.

The path forward

At Organon, our mission to deliver impactful medicines for a healthier everyday shapes our approach to dermatology. As a partner to patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals and advocacy communities, we believe no one should be limited by a skin condition or by their ability to access trusted, effective care. Guided by our roots in women’s health and a long-standing commitment to innovation, we have built a broad topical dermatology portfolio spanning established standards to new breakthroughs, available across more than 70 markets.

Alongside our medicines, we are proud to be an enduring partner to the dermatology advocacy community, working with organizations focused on improving education, support and resources for people living with skin disease. These collaborations reinforce our focus on access and long-term care.

While steroidal therapies remain a standard of care for many patients, their limitations with extended use, particularly in pediatric populations, are well recognized. That is why Organon is investing in expanding global access to non-steroidal treatment options for chronic skin conditions, standing alongside the dermatology community as we work toward healthier, more confident lives for all.

Progress in dermatology will not be defined by innovation alone, but by how well that innovation responds to real-life experiences. Advancing care means listening more closely to women’s experiences across life stages, supporting families managing chronic disease over the long term, and ensuring treatment pathways reflect the complexity of those realities. It requires care models that recognize psychological burden alongside physical symptoms, and conversations that treat patient and caregiver concerns as essential inputs into better decision-making. When we align science, access and empathy in this way, we move closer to a system that not only treats skin disease, but helps people live fuller, more confident lives alongside it.

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