Picking at Skin Questions and Poll.

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Your poll is not workable. You ask a question with the three choices being questions themselves. That is not a poll.

I have always picked at parts of my body that are not symmetrical or flat, including scabs, cuts, hangnails, etc.

I do all three, but I voted for the middle one pick at skin/scabs because I probably do it the most.

I have a habit I have had since a child, of picking the skin off my lips when it is dry.
It doesn't look very good, and sometimes it bleeds a lot.
I usually do it when I am bored, or stressed.
I also do tend to pick at any dried skin or scabs.

But surely NTs do this as well ?

I'm a picker. I do it mostly when I'm stressed.

I do all 3. I have a skin condition called keratosis pilaris, which basically means I have tiny pimples on my upper arms. I remember squeezing them when I was about 10 years and I still do it. I also pick at hangnails, instead of cutting them off. The worst part is that due the skin condition and unsuitable hair removal techniques, I've had a lot of ingrown hairs, especially on my forearms. I've been picking at those for a long time and have a fair bit of scarring as a result and a few slightly infected areas. I'd love to be able to go back and decide to just bleach my arm hair instead of shaving. I spend a lot of time trying to improve the appearance of my skin, but that it hampered by the fact that I still pick.

I have keratosis pilaris too. Most of it is on the backs of my upper arms, so out of sight out of mind. I read somewhere that lotion with lactic acid is good for that.

I picked my skin as well, from dry skin to scabs and acne. I also constantly scratch as my scalp to remove any dry skin or dandruff. I did this a lot when I was bored or concentrating hard on something. Because I touch my face a lot, I end up breaking up a lot so I try to keep my hands busy by playing with a small stuff animal or play video games and try to avoid a mirror. I am more temped to pic at my dry skin an acne as well as squeeze out blackheads if I look at my face in a mirror so I have to use "out of sight, out of mind" as well.

Why'd you have to put this in the In-Depth Adult Life forum?

Anyway, one of the things you're talking about is Dermatillomania. It is something I've had for at least several years.

I rip at my skin and i can't really control it. I usually do it to my wrists and they end up looking like i am a cutter. I have tried wearing bracelets and stuff to stop me but it made some of my other issues worse. I have also been known to gnaw on my feet and hull off long strips of hard skin with my teeth. Yeah not so cool.

As I typed this, I realized I was (again) chewing on the inside of my mouth....

I also pick at my scalp & my cuticles.

I pick at scabs and pop zits compulsively. I even try to drain blisters and scratch bug bites to a point of compulsion. On my head, when I get sores, I've been known to pick to the point where hair comes out with the skin. I voted, and seem to fall into the majority with the results. Is that a good thing?

I agree that it is the need for smoothness that drives the cuticle picking.. My solution: acrylic nails. For some reason I don't pick, unless the nail tech leaves a bump. I have learned to quickly file the nail tech's mistakes before I destroy the nail.

I also do most of these things. As a child I would pick the skin on my mouth until it bled. Now it's most often picking at my cuticles, but in some situations (usually at home) I'll sit and check my scalp for "imperfections". I also have KP and have to stop myself all the time from picking at the backs of my legs, knees etc. In general though I'm definitely a "picker". And I love that so many others have arrived at this term independently! I drive boyfriend crazy with my need to pop pimples and blackheads, his too. I just want things to be smooth!