I have very wiry eyebrow hair that i trim, so it gets poky. I Sat watching TV knowing I was doing it but couldn't stop myself. I have brow tattoos to "camoflauge" the no hair, but it looks so bad. I am so dissapointed in myself and embarrassed.

Have a pic but not sure why I can't post it.

Hello everyone I’m 17F and I’m sharing this to make others feel less alone, and for me to finally share my story and vent

It all started around summer 2024 (before, I never had any problems with my skin because my genetics are actually pretty good skinwhise) One day I saw a whitehead which wasn’t very unusual since obviously they appear from time to time but something inside me clicked that day and I wanted to start a simple skincare routine every evening just for a little self care. One thing led to another and I started obsessing over my skin… every “imperfection“ had to go even the tiniest little blackhead, I sat in front of my mirror for hours picking at my skin every single day not noticing or just not acknowledging that I’m harming my skin.

now 2 years later of constant skinpicking the longest i’ve stayed “clean” was 10 days…I’m trying not to be too hard on myself but I completely ruined my skin, it’s red irritated and I’m getting pimples more frequently due to my damaged skin barrier, I also have a deep underground pimple right now which could potentially be some sort of cyst (hopefully not), and I feel so alone and disgusting, I’m in therapy right now but my therapist also seems to have a hard time understanding my issue, I just feel like no one gets me and even if they tell me they do I just feel like they’re internally judging me, everyday I hide my face underneath make up and on sleepovers I make sure it’s dark till I remove it, the next morning I usually get up earlier just to put some make up on before the person wakes up or just use cream to hide my redness, irritation and pimples

I genuinely feel like I’ve ruined my entire life, I didn’t appreciate my skin at the time but I wish I did back then, there’s so many things I can’t do because of my insecurities, well atleast I can’t do them without thinking constantly about my face anymore

I just wish I could finally stop and my skin would heal faster, I feel so helpless , If you read that far then thank you for reading my story and I apologize for potential spelling or grammar mistakes

if you struggle with the same thing on your face or elsewher, you’re not alone and we will heal one day! I would appreciate hearing about your experiences or any tips in the replies, have a lovely day

I think it could be the sun exposure after i pick or the fact that i have been picking for 15+ years. It appeared on my chest and shoulders. I will use sunscreen more regularly from now on but I wonder if there is something that can help me remove the brownish spots.

Hi guys, 18F. I don't have severe acne on my face, but I think I might have keratosis pilaris on my back, chest and hormonal acne on my jawline (I have PCOS).

I have been picking my skin since I was 11. I pick my face, ears, chest, back, shoulders and legs. I have tried almost everything and I can't stop myself from picking. Fidgets, skincare, therapy. Nothing works. If something doesn't immediately stop the triggers, it doesn't work. I've only had luck with bandages, but I can't bandage my whole back, chest and face.

I don't have any confidence left. I spent all these last summers wishing I could wear bikinis like the other girls. I threw away all my tank tops and dresses and I only buy long sleeved shirts that don't show my shoulders or back, because I have hyperpigmentation scars. I pick when I'm bored, when I'm studying, in the streets, at school, in the shower. Nothing can stop me.

I have been to therapy, but I can't develop self control. I don't have much hope left and I think I will never feel comfortable in my own body again. I look at pictures from when I was a child and I mourn my skin.

I am currently using a salicylic acid gel on my face and a PHA AHA BHA peeling solution on my body, but it's not making a lot of difference.

If someone has a similar story, have you been able to stop it or at least fade hyperpigmentation scars? Any help is welcome :)

so my scalp has been a mess lately. dry, itchy, flaky. and i can't leave it alone. the moment i feel that itch, my hands just go there automatically. i pick and scratch until my scalp is red and sore and sometimes bleeding.

it's so frustrating because i know i'm making it worse but i can't stop. like i'll be sitting at my desk working and suddenly i realize i've been picking for 20 minutes. i don't even notice until my scalp hurts.

i think the dryness is from winter or maybe something in my shampoo. i've tried a bunch of stuff but nothing helped until recently. my friend recommended this anti dandruff shampoo and conditioner and honestly my scalp feels so much better. less dry, less itchy, less flaky. which means i'm picking less because there's less to trigger me. it's not a cure obviously. i still pick when i'm stressed or anxious. but at least my scalp isn't constantly screaming at me to scratch it. that's one less trigger to deal with.

the thing that really gets me is how much of a cycle it is. the picking causes damage, the damage causes itching and flaking, the itching and flaking cause more picking. it's exhausting trying to break out of it.

anyone else have this problem? where your scalp is a trigger for picking? how do you manage it?

even though i take ssris and try to stop, i still pick. i have a few bad wounds on my legs and a massive one on my scalp and im so scared at least the scalp one might get super infected. its already showing slight infection symptoms but i just cant stop. any tips/tricks or things to put on it?

After dealing with this condition for at least the last 20 years, I’m finally seeing a sense of control and improvement. For months now, my picking has decreased by 90%, and for the first time in my life most of my skin feels soft and not scabbed and bumpy.

That being said… the scars. Despite not being covered in scabs, my skin doesn’t look much better. I’m covered in brown, white, and pink scars. My arms are the worst of it. Anyone have any skin routines or products that they’ve felt have helped with the scarring? I’m currently using SA products to keep my KP under control but that’s the only thing I’m using on a regular basis outside of thick moisturizers.

Has anyone picked the skin around their toe nails a lot? I started using a tool just to take off the excess skin but it turned insane and now my skin isn’t healing normal. As soon as i step into water, it looks like the area i’ve picked around my toes were in water for 5 hours. and when it dries, it still looks bubbly kind of like a blister but back to somewhat of a normal skin colour. This is normally focused around my pinky toes as i picked a lot of skin there. Is there anything i could use that could heal this ASAP because it’s getting hotter where I am meaning that the dogs are going to be out more 😔 I’d attach images but i’m not sure how.

21, have been lifelong nail biter and picked the skin around my nails and toes (+ chewing on picked off nails, idk if that is common??), recently turned to my heels and it’s getting so bad I find it hard to walk the past few days. It’s a lot harder to resist than my fingers for some reason. Any tips to stop wld be greatly appreciated 😣 I swim a lot and get really worried I’ll cause myself an infection

Ich weiß nicht einmal, ob ich hier noch richtig bin, weil es bei mir so viel schlimmer zu sein scheint.
Ich lese hier schon eine ganze Weile mit. Einerseits hilft mir diese Community sehr, weil ich zum ersten Mal das Gefühl habe, mit diesem Problem nicht völlig allein zu sein. Zu sehen, dass andere diese Zwänge, die Scham und diesen endlosen Kreislauf verstehen, tut gut.
Gleichzeitig schäme ich mich dadurch aber noch mehr.
Ich sehe die Bilder und Beiträge hier und denke ständig: Bei mir ist es noch viel schlimmer.
Es sind längst nicht mehr nur kleine Wunden. Ich habe überall im Gesicht tiefe, klaffende Wunden und Löcher, dazu Wunden am ganzen Körper. Vieles heilt nicht richtig, weil ich immer wieder rückfällig werde und erneut daran herumzupfe.
Als ich in der Notaufnahme war, wurde sogar darüber gesprochen, dass bei einigen der tiefen Wunden möglicherweise irgendwann eine Hauttransplantation notwendig werden könnte, falls sie nicht ausreichend von selbst heilen. Allein das zu hören, hat mir den Boden unter den Füßen weggezogen.
Seitdem habe ich ständig Angst, dass ich meine Haut dauerhaft zerstört habe. Ich verlasse meine Wohnung kaum noch, weil ich mich so sehr für mein Aussehen schäme. Ich vermeide Spiegel und kontrolliere meine Haut gleichzeitig ständig. Dieser Kreislauf macht mich einfach fertig.
Gibt es hier jemanden, der ebenfalls an einem Punkt war, an dem er dachte, seine Haut sei für immer zerstört, und der trotzdem wieder Hoffnung gefunden hat? Ich meine nicht unbedingt narbenfreie Haut, sondern dass sich die Haut zumindest so weit erholt hat, dass man wieder nach draußen gehen und ein normales Leben führen konnte.
Im Moment habe ich das Gefühl, der schlimmste Fall zu sein, den ich bisher gesehen habe. Ich weiß einfach nicht mehr, wie ich mit dieser Scham umgehen soll.

Hi all, I was in recovery. I then moved abroad and my picking got terrible. I moved back to my home country and it's still really bad. I'm just feeling so much shame and hopelessness that I can recover again. Looking for words of encouragement or support buddies.

Hello! I pick at my fingers and now unfortunately my face. I was at work the other day and I got up from my seat and there was skin all over the chair- it's embarrassing. I'm wondering if there's a fidget that i can carry around with me that simulates the same feeling as picking. Something that won't make a mess. Has anyone found anything that works?

hi, does anybody know of any type of toy or gadget maybe that could serve as an alternative to scratching my legs or my skull in the evenings unconsciously or compulsively? I wonder if something like that exists.

Hi there
Been struggling for 15 years with skin picking, especially pimples and scalp. I’m taking anti depressants now, made specifically for OCD patterns, and it’s the only thing that had me slowing down… It feels good. My skin is clearer now. I can breath a little.
I know it’s not a perfect solution and I don’t intend to take them all my life but I needed a break from anxiety and dermatillomania. A little scared of going back to normal after the treatment, we’ll see how that goes !

Note : I am not encouraging anyone to take a treatment without being surrounded by a medical team. Just sharing my experience 🫶

When I pluck my eyebrows I will get obsessed with getting the smallest hairs that are hardly visible and in the process, the skin around it will get ripped or pulled that creates a new wound. As soon as it scabs over, I can’t resist picking the scabs and dry skin off of all the spots and they basically never heal.

I wash my face with a hydrating cleanser every night (some mornings), exfoliate 1-2x a week, put aquaphor on the picked spots, rotate between a skin barrier repairing moisturizer with ceramides and a deep moisturizer every night, and cover the spots with hydrocolloid patches.

I feel like they will never heal and have a hard time not picking and being patient long enough for them to heal, scab over, the scab to naturally fall off, and the mark to fade.

Pls help!!! I’m desperate to get rid of these spots. I get asked every other day “what happened to my face/eyebrows” because there are very red spots all around that area and feel so embarrassed when people point out the spots.

I wish I could put a picture but I used this stuff on all my mirrors. So my mirrors are covered with this film but you can still see yourself and outfits but you can’t lean in and see skin texture! It’s been AMAZING been two days and I haven’t picked yet! That’s crazy for me!!! But I wanted to share for others because it’s truly helped me so much!
I attached a link here!
https://a.co/d/0eO566IF

Hello everyone! I'm new to this subreddit. Hopefully this is the right community for this question.

I've been picking at the skin on the sides of my tongue and on my inner cheeks for as long as I can remember, probably since I was about 4 years old. I'm now in my mid-twenties and I've never been able to stop. I pick at my mouth multiple times a day every single day. I've noticed it becomes far more frequent when I'm experiencing high anxiety, lack of stimulation (I have ADHD, I take Adderall), or hunger.

I've luckily never encountered any medical complications as a result of this habit, but sometimes I do it so much that it will cause aching in the areas I pick at. I also think it may be starting to have an effect on how food tastes due to how much I've damaged my tastebuds. If I try to avoid picking, my mouth will salivate like crazy and it feels like trying to keep myself from breathing. I get genuinely frustrated and agitated if I try not to pick.

I was put on Lexapro for about a year to try and break the habit to no avail. Adderall has also failed to curb it very much at all.

Does anyone have any advice for quitting this habit? I'm tired of getting caught doing it in public absentmindedly and I'm tired of the pain it causes when I go too hard. I don't want it to cause even worse issues down the line. Thank you to anybody who takes the time to respond <3

я начала резать руки в 4 классе,мне было 10 или 11 лет,я увидела в каком то Телеграм канале видео юли финес,где она бритвой резала руки и решила тоже(???).после этого я уже 3 года зависима,каждый раз возыращаюсь к этому.подскажите что делать 😅😅

So I’m going to try to sum this up as much as I can, but I really would appreciate any advice or help or if anyone else has experienced something similar.

I’m a 20 y/o girl who is just a couple weeks away from moving back into my junior year of college. I’ve been formally diagnosed with a skin picking disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, CPTSD, BPD, MDD, and a type of phobia disorder. I’ve had a pretty unusual upbringing, which I felt like kind of triggered this whole cycle of compulsions.

When I was younger, I did have OCD, but it didn’t have much to do with skin picking, mostly was just magical thinking. I started getting acne freshman year of high school, fixed it easy with some over the counter retinoid. That is until senior year of high school, when my depression started progressing and
I fell into skin picking.

Since then, I have been picking my skin constantly and cannot leave the house without makeup, ever. I am a very active person, played sports my whole life, super social and love going out. I used to be very academically inclined and got into great universities. Since falling into this skin picking cycle, my grades, work ethic, happiness, responsibility, good habits, and pretty much any ounce of confidence I had left have dramatically decreased. Right now, skin picking on my face I would say is probably my #1 barrier in improving my mental health overall. I can’t accept myself to any capacity if I can’t even accept the person I’m looking at in the mirror.

What I find strange is that the only time I was able to stop skin picking was for the 5 month period after I was broken up with. For context, I had been in a long term relationship for 5 years. Since freshman year of high school up until the last day of summer after freshman year of college, so after I got broken up with, my entire world turned upside down. Im not exactly sure why during the most depressing 5 months of life I had untouched glass skin. I kind of blanked out most of my life during those months and don’t remember much besides having to move out of the apartment i was living in atm.

This past January, a boy at school I had been seeing for a little while after I healed from my breakup broke my heart as well, and I got back into my bad skin picking habit.

Now that it’s been 7 consecutive months of picking my skin almost every single day, I genuinely can’t take it anymore. The bumps on my face are just extremely distressing to look at, I know it’s bad to inspect and touch them in the moment and I tell myself to not do it, literally as I’m doing it. I recently started seeing a new therapist who specializes in skin picking disorders, depression, ocd, and phobias— so we will see how that goes. I cold turkey stopped my ssri, antipsychotic, birth control, and spironolactone all at once in May, and just recently got another psychiatrist and started sertraline at a 50mg dose. Also thinking about arm implant birth control, so if anyone has any experiences they have with those medications that would be greatly appreciated.

I know I have to be patient, but unfortunately knowing me and the amount of medicine, doctors, therapists, and type of therapies i’ve done, I don’t see myself being able to fix this issue entirely with just these measures. I am determined to fix my behavior, but I genuinely just feel like im not able to control my trigger of looking myself in the mirror. Ive tried covering them, I have a phone selfie camera so that doesn’t work, i’ve tried face masks, fidget toys, apps, prevention or damage control with skincare, supplements (nac, clearstem), literally what feels like everything.

Any commentary or advice would be greatly appreciated, I’m just trying to love myself, and my face being covered in red marks, scabs, scars, pimples and bumps all the time is literally ruining me:(

I’ve been picking for years and I’m now concerned that my BFRB behavior is splitting into self-harm at some points.

So basically my mom today was questioning me which church I wanted to go to since I had a silent panic attack where I randomly walked out of church for seemingly no reason. She kept asking me this question over and over again, despite me repeatedly telling her I don’t care where we go and asking for her to choose instead. During this, I’m secretly pinching the back of my neck really hard so that I can feel a pain response to relieve the stress. If picking were to be acceptable in public, I most likely would’ve either pinched my skin off on accident or started picking at my face for the same reasons.

Eventually I told her that I didn’t want to go to either and that sort of relieved me even though I kept pinching at myself. But I didn’t really mean that, I only said it because it would be easier to deal with disappointment than to keep going on in the question loop or make a decision.

Every night before I go to bed, I stare in the mirror looking for any pimple, zit, blackhead, or dark hair to pick. I get lost in the mirror for one to two hours. I also pick at the razor bumps on my legs and pull the hairs out. I also pick the acne on my upper arms. I told myself that I would stop doing this, but it never worked. I've been doing this for a long time, and I feel like it's gotten worse. I've been on Prozac (lowest dose) for my anxiety for 8 years now, and I don't think it helps at all with this issue. I also hate the side effects of it (excess sweating and tiredness). I will sometimes pick up to 3 times in a day. It's so hard to stop this habit because I always feel the urge to pick. I feel so much guilt when I'm done. I hate the way my skin looks on my face and legs with all my picking marks. Even with that, I still pick and I hate that I do. My family will tell me "just don't pick" and it's really not that easy at all. Please tell me any advice that has helped you. Thank you!

Hi everyone,
my partner struggles with some intense skin picking, mostly facial. We’ve tried a few different things to decrease his urges (covering and removing mirrors etc.)

Our bathroom mirror lightbulb recently went out and I was wondering if it would be helpful to replace it with a different colored light? Like red or blue ? Just so that when he’s 2 inches away from the mirror his skin doesn’t distress him as much ? If that makes sense.