Hey, im 17 and for about 3 years now ive been picking and pulling at the skin on my face regularly. Most of the time it would get so bad that l could not leave the house and l would shut my self up and avoid contact with even my family. l have been going through a rough time over the past three years and l suppose l delt with it by wrecking my face. The strange thing is l care about my looks and l am a very attractive girl but l still seem to self mutilate. l go into a trace-like state and can sit less than an inch away from the mirror picking and squeezing at every tiny imperfection l can see until my skin is blotchy, red swollen and sometimes bleeding the ironic thing is l would have perfect skin if l just left it alone. My life has slowly got better but l still do it sometimes out of habit, l see a counsellor but l have not told her or anyone about it l am too embarrassed. l would like to stop it for good because it sounds silly but it has almost taken over my life.
Has anyone got any tips on how to stop? No horrible comments please.

bring it up with your counsellor they will know exactly how to help, with my experience l found to just lay it all on the table if you want help and it does help

l do not have any . My boyfriend does exactly this and l he does not know why he does it. Its a type of OCD. Maybe its a form of self-punishment? l smoke to punish myself, cos l know l am harming my body.

It will be interesting to see what other people think.

Skin picking is usually anxiety related. It can also become a habit, like anything else. l am sure your therapist has talked with people who pick their skin and will be able to help you deal with this. It wo not get any better if you do not talk about this in therapy. l know it might be a hard thing to discuss! Take a look at your stressors in life and see what things are adding to your anxiety.

l wish you the best,

Buck

Dermatillomania (also known as compulsive skin picking or CSP) is an impulse control disorder characterized by the repeated urge to pick at one is own skin, often to the extent that damage is caused. Episodes of skin picking r often preceded or accompanied by moments of tension, anxiety, stress, or paranoia. During these moments, there is commonly a compulsive urge to pick, bite, itch, or scratch at a surface or region of the body. The regions most commonly affected by this r the face, back, scalp, chest & extremities such as the hands, feet, & arms. Symptoms most commonly expressed in these areas r swelling, scarring, & callusing due to damage to the affected region is epidermis.
In the face of these symptoms, most sufferers feel & recognize a need to stop the process but r physically & mentally unable without aid. Additionally, the development of said symptoms is very similar to the expression of trichotillomania, or the compulsive pulling of hair from the body.

Often dermatillomania sufferers find that their disorder intereferes with daily life. Plagued by shame, embarrassment, & humiliation, they will take measures to hide their disorder by not leaving the home, wearing long sleeves & pants in summer, & heavy make-up use for coverage. The disorder is typically found among females more than males. Causes & treatments: The inability to control the urge to pick is similar to trichotillomania.[1] Recent research suggests that, like trichotillomania, dermatillomania may be an impulse control disorder. This is part of the obsessive compulsive disorder spectrum.[2]
Some sufferers feel that ''picking off'' pimples or skin abnormalities may rid them of these flaws & help them look more ''normal.'' They feel the pimples they have r not like those of others, but abnormal. In these cases, skin picking may be a symptom of body dysmorphic disorder.[3]

Few mental health practitioners have studied the disease, as many of these cases go unreported, but some individuals have found relief through cognitive-behavioral therapy. Hypnosis & self-hypnosis & meditation have also proven useful for some patients.[citation needed] They r also sometimes prescribed medications, such as those prescribed for obsessive compulsive disorder.
In some cases, removing the major ''abnormalities'' in the skin may be of some use, particularly if the problem is confined to a particular area such as the feet. In this case, applying a solution consisting of 3% or less of hydrogen peroxide & bandaging the area tightly for several hours will allow most of the dead skin to slough away, leaving a relatively smooth surface that may be protected by a physical barrier from picking for the few days until healing is complete. Solutions of 10% hydrogen peroxide or greater can significantly damage skin .

References: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-b.
^ http://brainexplorer.org/ocd/OCD_Rel.
^ http://btinternet.com/~david.veale/b. Use a form of occupational therapy, to keep ur mind busy. See OCD (section 7) & anxiety (section 6; view page N first) at http://ezy-build.net.nz/~shaneris A suggestion, for when u catch yourself doing this. Carry a wide rubber band in ur pocket: put it on ur wrist; stretch, & release, as a means of reinforcing it, & speeding up the process, re-pocketing it afterwards, but l regard this as being purely optional. It is a habit, which can be unlearned, preferably by replacing it with another, such as worry beads, or a stress ball, etc. This may take 30 - 40 repetitions, to establish, or try habit reversal therapy.

Hi,

l am 28 & have the same problem. When l am under stress l pick at my skin, but what has helped me is to do a relaxing exercise. In the last few weeks I've hardly picked at all & I've been doing it (picking) for the last 7-8 years.

The exercise is that u sit down & look at five different things around you. Say the things out loud or in ur head (it feels kinda stupid talking out loud to yourself.). For example: l see a tv, a dvd-player, a cellphone, a pillow & a remote control. The u close ur eyes & listen, & concentrate to hear five different things like: l hear the tv, the computer buzzing, my own pulse, the humming of the fridge, the neighbour in her apartment.

This exercise helps u focus on the now instead of the anxiety u r having & it distracts ur thoughts. It has helped me a lot.

Please talk to ur counsellor about this, it is her/his job to help u & they will be able to give u more advice on how to deal with this problem. If u r afraid they will think it is a minor issue, remember, if it is a problem to u then it is a real issue that should be dealt with.

l wish u the best! Good luck!

You need to tell ur councler i'm positive there is medication u can take for this l used to do this to the point l couldnt go outside my face & arms would be so gross l wore long sleeves even through the hottest summers it was awful l do not do it so much any more once in a blue moon l catch myself in the mirror so l stay away from mirrors except to get ready in the morning.Also meth users do this if ur not on meth great if u r quit.and make sure to talk to ur couciler about it GL

l found that cutting your nails helped a bit. l also find that using a rubbing motion whenever you put finger on face instead of nails helps too - l like to pick at my scalp as it feels a funny sensation but do not over do it.

l kind of know where ur comming from. l always pick at any loose bit of skin on my face or the flesh around my thumb nail untill it bleeds. l also cut & bang my head. When l feel the need to harm l rub ice on that patriclar area -i dunno why but it works!

and sometimes l just write everything i'm feeling on a piece of paper then ripp it into shreds or l go & run untill l can not feel my legs.
it sounds a bit crazy, but it really does make u feel sooo much better! :]
it also important u speak about that with ur counciller. after all, ''a problam shared is a problam halved!''.

good luck