Habit reversal: a turning point in the treatment of atopic dermatitis

Habit reversal is a behavioural method for treating disorders such as tics and nail-biting, but it can also be used in dermatology to help patients with eczema and itch to stop scratching. The fact that it is based on psychological ideas evidently frightens many dermatologists, but habit reversal is based on common sense, and is not time consuming—indeed it is very cost-effective. In this lecture I hope to convince you that it is a treatment that dermatologists can use.