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Compulsive Skin Picking (face, arms, legs, and body)

(THIS IS NOT AN ACNE PROBLEM!)
I have a really clean face and body, I just destroy every piece of it by doing this.

Well here, let me tell you my story. I'm 17 years old, the typical high school teen.I have the compulsion of looking in the mirror and standing there for hours looking at every pore on my face then picking. Then it over turned to my whole body, its gotten way worst since I begun doing this since 1 1/2 years ago. Its been putting me down a lot then turning into depression because I can't wear short sleeves or shorts in public without someone noticing i have multiple scabs, bumps, blemishes going everywhere and questioning me about it. I hate this because I thought it was nothing at first, but when I started noticing marks, scars, bumps and never healing scabs that were left after picking or messing with, its become embarrassing. I miss having a clear/clean body and face, but its like a urge to me. Its like an itch that has to be scratched, if you don't itch it, the urge will grow until so. So after I became aware of my problem, I took my time to see if other people had the same symptoms as me, and I actually found a bunch of people. Well I also found something called Compulsive Skin Picking. Which it is but if you search it up on Google, its more of a mental thing, not a hormone imbalance that a drug would take care of it. I recommend not to take any prescribed drugs for this problem, because I can already tell you NONE will work. Probably just a medication that would mess with your mind or make you depressed. Try these helpful hints that I'm going to be trying out also...

When tempted to pick, care for your skin by applying a moisturizing lotion instead.

Cover or remove mirrors if they act as a trigger and get rid of all implements such as tweezers and pins used for picking.

Consider the use of artificial nails to make picking more difficult, it may work for some.

Wear rubber fingertips or cotton gloves whenever possible if you feel the urge to pick.

Try replacing some of the sensory aspects of skin-picking with a more desirable alternative. For example, keep an object by you that you can manipulate (squeeze or pull) such as a soft rubber ball.
( I play with a rubber band around my wrist to occupy my hands when the urge comes.)

Keep your hands busy with something else such as a puzzle or knitting.

If you bite the inside of your cheeks try eating crunchy snacks when you feel the urge to bite.

Reward yourself for making progress with some kind of treat.

As you gain more confidence gradually begin to expose your hands, arms, face or legs to others starting with family and friends. You will no doubt benefit from their support but at the same time the negative consequences of engaging in your habit will be increased.

If all fails, get advice on skin care. If you have a skin complaint see a dermatologist.
(I went to a bunch of doctors and all they give you is acne cream or something along that lines. Most of the doctors won't understand until you explain every little detail of you problem that your having so they can get an idea of whats happening.)
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Avatar universal
I've never had acne in my entire life. I have to lie to people and tell them i have a bad skin condition where i get bumpy dark skin..
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Avatar universal
Hi. I am so relieved that there is more than one of me. I started noticing my habit when i was 13 and I probably been picking since i was 11 years old. I dont like to talk about it to my mom because when i tell her she makes me feel like there is something wrong with me, like I'm some Emo child who picks themself because Im depressed all the time. I get sad like everyone else, but when I pick i do  it without really noticing I'm doing it. Mainly when I'm on the toilet. Never in public. Then I'd realize that I'd be sitting on the toilet for 45 minutes picking my legs. It doesnt hurt but i get a shiver when i feel I've taken a scab away from my skin. If its a bump or a scabb on my skin it will get picked. Im 16 now and skin matters. My skin is scared bad and i cant wear shorts, skirts, dresses, or anything pretty. Crying right now just thinking about it. I want help but who do i tell? Im not crazy, i have habits like everyone else. My habit it just more bizzare cause people think "who would want to damage there skin?" Nobody wants to do it. Its that moment when you look at your skin andgo.. What happened?
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Avatar universal
I can relate to this SO much,im 16 and suffering with this ever since i was lil,it started when i was like about 6 or 7 i think.I have exzemah(idk how to spell it),but i have really nice skin that can heal really well but i have a terrible habbit of destroying my skin on purpose almost everyday.my face,arms and legs  still has old/new scars,some look alil faded because I've been using some skin treatments,but people at my school thinks it's because of bad acne,but it's not,believe it or not but I've never had acne,I've gone to my pediatrician a while ago and he has took a look at my skin and said its just a possible skin irritation due to my exzemah,or could just be the pollen,because i also have bad allergies,and i use to play outside and when pollen was on my skin i would itch,but the strange thing was when i didn't even have an itch i would still pick my skin for no reason,and my parents tried alot of things to pull me away from picking my skin,such as gloves,socks,cutting my fingernails,even tried yelling at me to stop picking my skin ,because i guess they figured yelling would make me stop picking my skin but it didn't.I myself have tried things that i thought would work but didn't.,ipick& scratch my skin alot .I still damage my skin alot when im tempted to pick my skin.I have scars on my legs arms and face and they're embarrassing :{ my father tells me to stop picking my skin but i can't.I've been gettin frustrated with this so i have been doing research to see if there is any reason for me picking my skin,and try and find ways to make it stop.i don't like to where short sleeves because of this because i don't want anyone to see my skin and to question it,my mother use to put skin medicine on the spots I've picked at and covered it with bandaids and i had alot of bandaids on my arms and legs and this was elementary school so kids would ask "whats that","ew" and say mean things and pick on me because of it,and it ruined my self-esteem,and when people asked "what happened?" I would tell em that i got inna car accident,just to avoid being looked at as an outcast because some people took it better if i told them a lie rather than the truth.When i kept getting picked on i told my mother that i no longer wanted to wear bandaids,because people made fun of me,she bought me longsleeved clothing,.I cant stop,i see a scab or anything like that im tempted to reopen the wound and regret it later.I sometimes make fresh wounds on clear areas of my skin.I looked at other research on this and it says this can be caused by anxiety,stess,bordom,etc. And is self mutilation and i believe thats what it could be because im going through so much right now and doing this is what i do to find release.I think that my older brother and my twin sister has this disorder as well,but i have it the worst.Me and my twin have been put on skin medications to try and help our skin clear up,but my mother hasn't been keeping up on getting our prescriptions anymore, Anyways the next time i visit the pediatrician im going to let him know about this issue to make it stop.
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Avatar universal
She may have high anxiety as this is where my stemmed from when I was a child around her age. I was also a perfectionist Virgo with many things in my life and it was mainly driven by a generalised anxiety.
Just a thought.

Good luck!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Along with scalp picking does anyne have a spongy scalp
Helpful - 0
1699033 tn?1514113133
I get the sense from a lot of people that you are relieved to see that others also have the same problem but it really is treatable if you seek out professional help.  The best place to start is a psychologist.  You may feel like the "damage is done" but better late than never.  Take care.  
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