Dermatillomania (Compulsive Skin Picking)- Question

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I have no idea what section this should go into, so I put it here.

There are some (older) posts about the general topic of CSP. I have a more specific question for people.

So I know some other people here have said that they also skin pick but in the CSP forums I've seen and here I have yet to see if I'm the only weirdo who does this.

I skin pick a lot and my scalp bleeds from it and I have tons of scars and I have recently started picking my nose until it bleeds. To make matters worse, I have a clotting disorder so I bleed a lot from it. I have really good skin and never really have pimples and stuff though and all my usual picking spots get so bloody. I wound up starting ( I don't remember how long ago) to pick at other people. It used to be more controlled and would just enjoy popping a pimple for someone if they asked or scratching at their scalp or something.

Do you skin pick other people?

I know it is really weird. I can't seem to stop any more easily than I can stop picking at myself. My boyfriend has lots of blackheads and pimples and stuff and I keep picking at them. I really hurt him doing it and scratching his scalp and I feel so bad about it. I can't seem to stop and when he makes me stop it gets me really upset because it is interrupting a compulsion. He is really patient with me but it really bothers him (obviously) and I feel horrible. I want to stop I just don't know how!

1) I need help figuring out how to stop!

2) Does anyone else do anything like this?! I feel like I'm the only one...

I just learned about dermatillomania today, and I have it...

I never knew such a thing existed, but I've been doing it for many years. Extremely often I am picking at scabs, peeling skin, blackheads, et cetera on my body (particularly my chest, shoulders, and back, but also on my face, legs, and arms) and a lot of the time I make myself bleed. I never realized it was a disorder, and I'm quite shocked to have just learned about it. I have neither dermatophagia or trichotillomania, nor do I ever eat anything I pick at. Also, I pick the skin off my lips a lot, and they bleed.

I'm not sure if I have OCD or not though.

i also do this, but i mostly pick off the skin under my toes, especially the big toe on my right foot is like a warzone, i often decide to not wear sandals becouse of it.
also, probarbly part of it, i scratch my heads skin a lot,however i do not peel there.

i also do not eat any pickings, and i usually stop before i start bleeding, but mostly becouse going that far starts hurting.
as to picking others; i sometimes have the inclination to do that, but my shyness around others, and some social rules i have gotten branded with prevent me from actually doing that,

I have dermatillomania too, it sucks because whenever I mention it people don't take me seriously. i feel like it's really debilitating to my life. but i'm here if you want to talk about it, i need someone to talk to as well.

I had bouts of this when I was a kid. I picked my scalp, my face, and my elbows until they bled. Now, I'll catch myself doing this when I'm super stressed, and I generally pick at my face, which gives me hideous marks and blemishes. I also have rosacea, which only makes it look worse.

This is something that might help you: if you are picking at your face a lot, you could try putting on a soothing mask to keep yourself from touching the areas. I use this Mint Julep Mask, and I find that it soothes the irritated skin, and as it is drying, it discourages me from picking because then it would make my fingers messy. Then, after it dries, it kind of gets flakey, and as I rub it off and then rinse it off, I feel like I've gotten my picking urge out of my system for the time being.

I guess maybe using the mask as a distraction is largely a mental thing, but it might help. I know one of the reasons why I'll go into a picking session is because I feel like I need to get the grossness (like blackheads and such) out of my skin, so I feel like the mask also helps for that reason.

I have very bad dermatillomania. My arms, legs, scalp, back, shoulders, chest, etc. are covered in scars from years of picking. You're not alone.


(my left arm)

I even do it in my sleep to some extent.


If anyone has advice on how to stop, I would definitely want to hear it.