Skin picking

[P1kker]

Name changed for this one as I know for sure at least one person here knows me and I'm so ashamed

I skin pick

I can't remember for sure when it started or why it started but it's a habit I can't break.

I'm ashamed.

My body - particularly shoulders, look do bloody awful.

What's wrong with me.
Why do I do this.
Why can't I stop.

I have this I’ve had it since being a child. It’s called dermatillomania or CSP compulsive skin picking. I think it’s common with people who have OCD which I also have.

Its much worse if I’m stressed but often I find I’m doing it and not realising. Some things that have worked for me are buying the hydrocolloid plasters / spot plasters and putting them on all the spots and also making sure I’m putting on creams like sack on regularly. I alternate between the normal savlon, clear gel savlon. If I have gel nails I find it harder to pick or I clip my nails as short as possible. Sometimes I say to myself I will allow myself to pick only 1 scab and leave the rest. I have scabs I’ve had for over a year. If I shaved my head it would be covered in scars. Summer is not a great time for it as I get bitten by insects and then pick the bites.

There are quite a few good resources online and forums for support. When I first started doing it I thought I was the only one but it’s actually quite common.

Savlon not sack on!

Please refer yourself to your local iapt service, you can get CBT on the nhs for skin picking.

i have this, but its my eye lid and forehead had it almost 20 years, Again do it more when stressed.

I had this as a student (it had an exotic French name then...). I went to my GP and he prescribed some skin treatment (zinc roll on type stuff). Weirdly, once I'd admitted it, it pretty much went away.

Just my experience OP. Best wishes, it's awful.

Thankyou for your kindness - dreading summer again

Tops of my arms are a right mess. My skin is quite congested so there are always little lumps and spots which I turn into bloody scabs. It’s horrible!

I do this too. My legs are an embarrassing mess of scars and scabs. I pick at my scalp too, but at least my hair hides that.

I've been picking the skin around my fingers since aged 11. In the last few years, I've been doing my feet aswell. I was looking into anxiety rings to distract me. At work they recently bought in fidget toys and I thought they'd be useless. They're actually really distracting so I recommend those. I particularly like the pop it ones. I bought a set on Amazon full of fidget toys. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sensory-Decompression-Infinite-Relieves-Sqùeeze/dp/B09964JG5W/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=2YBWXD1DSSCGC&keywords=fidget+toy&qid=1680231375&sprefix=fidget%2Caps%2C73&sr=8-3

I'm really wanting to stop my skin picking but most of the time I do it without realising. I'm sick of having red raw feet and my fingers bleeding in front of everyone.

Me too, OP!!
Think mine started when I was a child and there was major trauma in my life, but I still do it now, 50 years later!
I have gel nails on, which def help, but I doubt I’ll ever stop completely.
Its far more common than you think!

I have this too, mainly on my face, but has extended to my scalp, back and arms. Without realising, my hand is always feeling for any slight imperfection and once my fingers find it, I’ll pick it. Then it bleeds, turns in to a scab and then I’ll keep picking it. Again and again. My face has lots of scarring. Have never sought treatment but I should do really.

Husband and parents have said in the past ‘just stop picking your face’ but it’s not as easy as that. It’s the first thing I do when I’m stressed and I don’t even realise I’m doing it until I see blood on my hands a lot of the time.

Have you considered ADHD? It's a really common ADHD habit

Also OCD

I'm only saying ADHD as I am seeking a diagnosis and this is a major problem for me, always has been

I have ADHD, OCD and skin pick so full house :) but yes skin picking extremely common alongside ADHD

Also skin pick my arms, they already have the little bumps but I make them so much worse. I haven't currently got acrylic fake nails on, but when I used to, it really helped as was nie on impossible to get to the skin when the nails were so thick. So that helped!

I am a skin picker. I have autism and OCD. My skin is very prone to spots naturally so it's easy to me to find areas to pick. I will focus on a particular area over a period of time. It's very soothing.

I’ve always picked my lips- they are always raw and bleeding. It’s so painful, but like others I start without realising and then as soon as I realise I have a loose bit I can’t stop. Used to pick the skin on my fingers until they were raw, but managed to stop that.
I hate doing it, but can’t stop

I pick my lips, I have done since I was a young teenager. Often without realising but it's self soothing I think. Definitely worse when I'm stressed, it then spreads to picking my fingers and scalp.

Me too. Had it all my life. Have at one time or another picked just about every area of my body. Currently it’s my scalp and my neck/chin where coarse hairs grow. I pluck them and then they form small bumps that I can’t leave alone.

My skin over the years has been horrendous and I’ve been so embarrassed. It’s definitely something that gets worse with stress and boredom. When I’m in the middle of something that keeps me focused and that I enjoy it improves a lot.

I’ve long suspected I am neurodivergent (all my kids are) but have no diagnosis. So I just accept that I do these things; I have done for forty odd years so there’s little chance of me stopping.

I do it, always have, I think it’s genetic as my DBs are the same and my DCs also pick. My neck and shoulders are definitely a favourite spot and my scalp, I’m not as bad as I use to be but when I’m stressed I will pick my scalp to the point of bleeding in my sleep. I’ve never really thought much about it, I just thought some people pick others don’t.

I did this. I have OCD, still prevalent in other areas, but I've managed to reduce the skin picking to normal levels of having to deal with an occasional spot and my skin is lovely now and receives compliments.

My face used to be a red mess. I'd spend hours (hours could go by, usually at night when anxiety was at its worst) then it would need ages with makeup the next day to clear it up. It felt like self sabotage sometimes as I'd do it the night before an event having not done it for a while.
Mine, and my OCD was/is centred in perfectionism and I'd tell myself I was making it better whenever I did it. Obviously not true.

I find something similar, with hands, alternative to do when I get the urge, so will use one of those twisty hair removal tools or do a manicure or pedicure. There are also things you can buy - if you look up skin picking, sensory, OCD, ADHD, etc you'll see various results. Some peeling kits or just something to do with your hands. I'd be interested to hear if anyone has tried them.