01505nas a2200145   4500000000100000008004100001100001700042700001700059245006400076856007500140300001100215490000600226520111300232022001401345       2014                            d1 aShenefelt PD1 aShenefelt DA00aSpiritual and religious aspects of skin and skin disorders.  uhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4128841/pdf/prbm-7-201.pdf  a201-120 v73 a<p>Skin and skin disorders have had spiritual aspects since ancient times. Skin, hair, and nails are visible to self and others, and touchable by self and others. The skin is a major sensory organ. Skin also expresses emotions detectable by others through pallor, coldness, "goose bumps", redness, warmth, or sweating. Spiritual and religious significances of skin are revealed through how much of the skin has been and continues to be covered with what types of coverings, scalp and beard hair cutting, shaving and styling, skin, nail, and hair coloring and decorating, tattooing, and intentional scarring of skin. Persons with visible skin disorders have often been stigmatized or even treated as outcasts. Shamans and other spiritual and religious healers have brought about healing of skin disorders through spiritual means. Spiritual and religious interactions with various skin disorders such as psoriasis, leprosy, and vitiligo are discussed. Religious aspects of skin and skin diseases are evaluated for several major religions, with a special focus on Judaism, both conventional and kabbalistic.</p>  a1179-1578