[ComfortablyNumb5]

Hi! I'm new to this section of PC but I have a quick, kinda gross question and would like to hear some input on it. Ever since I got my first pimple I picked and poked and popped. I do this even after the pimple is gone(and its a scab) because I'm somehow convinced that there's SOMETHING still in there! Even the pimples that aren't "ready", I will still squeeze at it until blood comes out. My face at one point or another will have scabs, and then I pick those. Everyone yells at me to stop and just "leave that alone!" But I can't. I even catch myself picking when I'm not in the mirror. It's embarrassing going out in public. I feel like everyone's staring even when I have makeup on. I don't know why I do this or how to stop.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[miss_rainy]

I use to do this back then. I still sort of do but i dont have as much acne as i used too. When this happens after a while you forget about it until it comes back. Lol

Sent from my SM-T217S using Tapatalk

[ComfortablyNumb5]

Whenever my face does clear up, I go for the blackheads on my nose lol. Today I went out in public, for once. I had to wear so much makeup. And I hate makeup.

[Running-on-Rainbows]

I would suggest talking about this with your doctor (if you have one), otherwise, I personally think there is a possibility of it being OCD, but I'm not at liberty to say whether it truly is or not.

[confusedandstrange]

It sounds like it could be dermatillomania, a skin picking disorder. It's classified as a BFRB (body-focused repetitive behavior)and is sometimes associated with OCD.

[kariebell098]

dear RxQueen875, i can related your problem with mine, and yea when i had a pimple etc its very much annoying untill i scratch it and make disappear ( which not happen in reality it makes a scar afterwards) from my past experiences it is not a good idea to pinch or scratch pimples, or any kind of acne because when you do it makes scars which in some cases are very deep and look horrible and you have to live with it for the rest of your life.

Best way to handle this is to apply some remedies like honey, tea tree oil etc more remedies to get rid of acne you can find here it also helped me in scars from the past. also i know its really hard to leave pimples to heal on there own but try not to touch them

[Nike007]

Yes, skin picking is a type of OCD. I suggest you tell your mental health professional that you do this. It's not good. Hope you find support for this .

Social anxiety disorder, GAD, OCD, and panic attacks

Lexapro, 10 mg

[Stosch]

My face and forehead looks all cut up at times, I have psoriasis, I will pick and scrape the dead skin until it is off, Im just bothered by the flakes of dry skin and have to pick at it

Sent from my LGMS631 using Tapatalk

[thecrankyone]

If I have any bump, pimple, blemish, scab or other skin irritation I am literally unable to ignore it. I can try my darnedest, but eventually I lose and will scratch, pick, scrape or otherwise try to make it go away, or bleed. But then I have immediately regret it and want it to not have happened. I've done it since I can remember and have no idea why

Sent from my Z958 using Tapatalk

[coyotee]

I haven't done this in such a long while, my skin cleared up a lot. But something this week made me break out pretty bad - I think maybe hormones. So this week has been a nightmare with frequent picking sessions. When I have to fixate so much on my face to pop the pimples, it leads to picking and scrutinizing other flaws, blackheads, teeny hairs, blemishes, and scars. When I finally leave the bathroom its much worse than when I started.

[ComfortablyNumb5]

Originally Posted by coyotee

I haven't done this in such a long while, my skin cleared up a lot. But something this week made me break out pretty bad - I think maybe hormones. So this week has been a nightmare with frequent picking sessions. When I have to fixate so much on my face to pop the pimples, it leads to picking and scrutinizing other flaws, blackheads, teeny hairs, blemishes, and scars. When I finally leave the bathroom its much worse than when I started.

Yea I'll go in to inspect one bump and come out with my whole face red and pinched at. My bf knows to holler when I'm in the mirror too long and he lets me know when I'm picking without knowing it. I pick the skin off my lips too. I wonder how many other times ppl have noticed

[ablankscript]

I had bad acne in middle school and high school so I probably did this. Nowadays I search my scalp for clogged follicles to pick. It is a compulsion, j would talk to professional. Ot can cause infections and scars.

[Smileonmyface]

i do this too. on my scalp and neck anywhere there is dandruff or pimples. i know, gross. but you're not alone

[Nike007]

This would be dermatillomania. I am just restating this because I've been researching this a lot lately. A few days ago, I picked so badly at my scalp that one section was bleeding for a good 15 minutes long. AND this was at work. So scary . I had a paper towel on my head to collect the blood. Luckily, I was working with someone who has mental health issues too, including nail-biting OCD because nails are bitten to cuticles and bleed so she understands.

How much time per day do you spend on this on average, if it's more than an hour or if severe bleeding or damage occurs, this should definitely be checked out. From reading about dermatillomania, I know that when someone picks at one pimple as an example, it may bleed and cause a scab, which will cause the person to pick at this and this would repeat until indefinitely without proper treatment.

I personally do scalp picking. My head is covered in scabs that I pick. Bumps on head = picking. If there is a big clump of dandruff/dead skin, I pick. If something feels like a bump, I pick. If I see dead skin in my nails, I pick at there more. I cut my nails down recently in hoping it helps. I washed my hair two days ago, and I seem to have no dry skin at the moment so I am okay right now. I have a pimple on the back of my neck though that is super annoying that I think is a scab or clump of dandruff, but it isn't. I hope I don't pop it on accident (or purpose I guess). Skin picking can lead to infections, so getting treatment earlier can help you. I read about a man who get so many infections from skin-picking he was hospitalized because of severity. That doesn't seem fun at all.

Social anxiety disorder, GAD, OCD, and panic attacks

Lexapro, 10 mg