Skin lesions may result in marked and longstanding impairment if they involve extensive body parts or critical areas such as the hands or feet, or if they are resistant to treatment. They may also be associated with various systemic diseases that produce disabling limitations in and of themselves.

For disorders involving the skin to be considered disabling, they generally must be shown to have persisted for more than 12 months after administration of appropriate treatment. However, some of these disorders respond only to high doses of medications with possible serious side effects. These side effects must be carefully documented and considered in the overall evaluation of disability.