Dermatillomania

They have a name for compulsively picking at your skin?! and other people struggle with this? fucking following. i had no idea.

They also have a name for hair pulling called trichotillomania.

If you are dependent on a mirror to skin pick I would recommend covering up the mirrors in your home when you don't need them to get ready. I would also wear mittens / gloves at home.

Hi Constance! I also suffer from this. Honestly the best thing for me is coconut oil (its helps tomake it less noticeable since the dryer the skin is the worse it looks) and Cuticle clippers. That way if i see some skin i want to pick i snip it off and dont tear away half my skin. Lol and any time you find your self picking stop right away and clip off any excess skin so you cant pick it.

Haha. Yes, @slimshady. It's something I've had since I was a little kid. Some people pull their hair. This is called trichotillomania. Basically, when I get stressed, I pick at my skin. It can be anything - a dry spot, a zit, just some imperfection. It makes me look like I have 15-year-old acne and I have a hard time catching myself until I bleed. Then, I'm even more anxious because I'm embarrassed. But, the skin picking is a coping strategy that helps relieve stress. As odd as it is. Cognitive behavioral therapy helps a lot to redirect the coping strategy. It's hard AF to do, though.

Hi! I suffer with this too. It's kind of cool to see that we're not alone, right?

I use silly putty as well. This sounds sort of insane, but I'll sometimes put tape on something, like a solid object, and use that like a sort of stress ball by picking at the tape.

ETA: good luck. You're so right, it really is hard AF! None of these solutions are foolproof, I hope you find something that helps!

When I was little I had dermatillomania. I've been dealing with trichotillomania since I was nine. I've gotten down to maybe one pull a day using mindfulness techniques. First off, using a daily meditation app has been indispensable in quelling my anxiety and I can't recommend it enough. The subsequent relaxation has given me the mental bandwidth to pay attention to when I'm puling and under what emotional states. In my case, that's lack of sleep or sudden stressful situations.

It also helps to have something with which to keep your hands occupied. Fiddling with a piece of jewelry always works.

They say that picking at/biting finger nails is now starting to be classified as a related issue. I'm one of those. I don't realize I'm picking my fingers usually, but if someone points it out I just. Cant. Stop. So I've started wearing gloves at work so I have nothing to pick with/at and picked up hobbies for home. Crochet really helps me because it takes both hands and it's super easy to learn.

I don't know much about this but maybe a fidget cube to keep you busy?

Have you been diagnosed with that? Because that is a mental disorder, and is usually classified with people picking at the skin on their face, arms, and pulling out their hair for much deeper disorders such as PTSD and severe anxiety and depression. If you have been diagnosed, I'd see your doc if it is getting worse and see what they suggest. (Psychiatry major for 2 yrs). If you are just picking at your fingers, nails, or at blemishes because of stress or anxiety, that is probably pretty normal and you can deter it by painting your nails with a polish called "NO BITE". It literally tastes disgusting, I have used it and it leaves a bad taste so you won't do it. I have been picking lately out of typical anxiety and stress. Lotion helps me!

Yes. It's diagnosed. Not I went to WebMD and was like, yep. This is not "typical anxiety." You're right in that it's comorbid with lots of other issues. For me, general anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder. Doc said do the things that I mentioned previously and seek out others for support. See what they have to say... so... here I am.

Omg I do this on my scalp. It's not so much face (although perhaps I'm fortunate my skin has always been on the relatively clear side) but I pick at bumps on my scalp all the time, sometimes without even realizing I'm doing it. I have to keep my hands busy so I embroider a lot. I had heard of trichotomilia, but hadn't heard of this ...

I started one of the threads. I do this to my scalp (ugh...). I was so surprised at the number of people who commented that had the same issue. It absolutely got worse those last few weeks of wedding planning.

@FutureMrs - if you don't mind me prying, did anything help? I'm gonna make the assumption that you have coping strategies to pick less. Was it harder to use them or did it help? I'm seriously considering bringing silly putty to the wedding...

Gloves or mittens are a great option. As are gel manicures combined with keeping your nails as short as possible. What about picking at grapes or an orange instead? If you are in therapy, you and your clinician should work to come up with a list of replacement behaviors as well as a plan to help you remember (e.g., having silly puffy in every room). Developing other coping skills to help deal with anxiety should also be a huge part of your treatment plan. A cognitive behavioral therapist is your best resource here, consult with your therapist.

Hi Constance, I struggled with this for years which led to infection in my ear piercing holes. Then I struggled with pulling my hair out. I've gotten a lot better, but I still sometimes pull my hair out or scratch into the skin on my legs really hard. Like you it is concurrent with anxiety, depression, and for me OCD. Nothing therapist suggested work for me (holding an ice cube, stress ball, tape, knitting)....but one thing that works for me that isn't great but isn't destructive to my body is chipping nail polish off my nails. I know that isn't good for your nails so I probably shouldn't recommend it, but I have gotten really good st doing it without tearing up the actual nail ( not to brag lol jk). DH always says he'd rather me pick at my nails than my ears. Then we had an epiphany. Paint nail polish thick into a Tupperware container that you don't care about. You can pick it off that and repaint as much as you want. I still prefer doing it on my actual nails though. havent picked my ears since christmas 2014 so thats really exciting! i know this sounds hella weird but i just totally related to you.

ps-i kbow a lot of people talkef about getting gel nails...you probably already know this but you absolutely cannot tear or chip that polish off.

good luck! i will be praying that stress remains manageable so maybe this wont flare up super bad!

@Adventures. I'm definitely working with my therapist on this. I have silly putty in every nook and cranny of my home, car and office. I have a clutch for the wedding, so I'll probably stash one in there

Honestly nothing has helped. My primary doctor has referred me to a CBT but due to wedding planning I haven't scheduled my first appointment yet. I honestly want to stay away from medication as well so I'll have to see how it goes.

@FutureMrs - I highly recommend a CBT. It's made a huge difference for me. I'm just not quite where I'd like to be with it. The hardest part has been finding a replacement behavior that that is just as satisfying as picking.

My CBT talked a lot about how derma has been reassigned in DSM-5 and many are treating it like the would an addiction. That made a lot of sense to me. I'm not OCD, the anxiety doesn't feel the same. But, if you juxtapose addiction with derma... well I can see how they align.

ETA: I am not on any meds for anxiety, derma or depression. I really feel like therapy is best for me. But, I get nasty abscesses from picking that never heal. The antibiotic helps heal them. In turn I feel better, because I'm not as self-conscious.

I have severe eczema and have been very successful having acrylic nails. Theyre much thicker and keep me going without digging in and breaking the skin.

I've never heard this term either. But I have anxiety, and I pick at my finger nails. When If can get my nails done consistently, I can stop for a while. But then I start scratching my arm and often develop a rash. Dunno if this is the same thing, but I think I get it. I've picked at my nails since I can remember, but the scratching just started this year. I have one of those adult coloring books that keeps me from picking/scratching. I may also take up crocheting. What a cool hobby!