dermatilomania (skin picking) - anyone have it? advice? make up solutions?

[frankie80]

does anyone else have this?

I've been picking the skin around my face since my teens. i thought it was just a bad habit but after hearing about dermatillomania, I now believe I have this.

I'm going to see my doctor on Tuesday for advice but I do worry she'll just dismiss it as a bad habit and not take me seriously (I don't realise i'm doing it most of the time so it's not like smoking, where you can just quit)

Also, its really hard to cover it up with makeup, so far clinique anti blemish is best but not 100% coverage. I'm very self concious about my scabs, especially as I work full time with very glamourous colleagues.

Any tips from those who have it as well would be appreciated. I want to stop and feel/look good.

Thanks

"it's all about breaking a habit"

No, it's not a habit like 'I eat cereal for breakfast and miss it if I don't have it, but I'll just eat something else for a few days and that habit will be broken'. It is a compulsion, an itch to be scratched.

What works is to minimise the itch (moisturising & manicured hands for cuticle pickers, shaving rather than waxing for leg pickers) and to make it less accessible (lower lights around mirrors for face pickers).

I do this - spots on my face, skin around my nails, biting the inside of my mouth. I had no idea it was a condition. I know it doesn't look good particularly on my face but I can't help myself. I am a bit better now than I was but still can't stop myself. I agree about keeping things moisturised but that is tricky during the day when I need to wear makeup to cover up the scabby bits!

I do this and I have eczema as well so its not good!

My worst patches are my elbows and some bits on my scalp.
I do try and stop myself doing it when I notice.

Interesting the posters who say they bite/chew the inside of their mouth as I do this as well.

I try to moisturiser moisturize moisturize and distract myself and keep busy.

cote I've already said that probably wasn't the right phrase! but I am speaking as a sufferer of 20 years so just giving my opinion that using a tool such as gloves even some of the time can help.

Tory - I'm not attacking you. It's just that I've tried gloves and they don't help, for the reasons I detailed.

I do this. I had no idea it was a condition. I pick the skin around my thumbs until they bleed. The only thing that stops me is having a professional manicure so my nails look nice and I don't want to ruin their appearance.