r/CompulsiveSkinPicking

Hi,

What does everyone use on their wounds after they pick to relieve the pain? My legs and arms are covered in sores and they hurt quite a bit. I’m thinking of a non-stinging ointment of some kind.

I wish I had before and after pics. I’m 41 and have struggled with picking my cuticles and the sides of my fingers by my nails for my entire life. To the point I’d destroy my fingers. I’ve had to be diligent about clipping off dry skin after showering so I couldn’t pick at it. This was problematic though because removing it would cause it to regrow a bit more each time.

Last week, I saw a post or something about cuticle remover. I was also looking for info about callouses and dryness on my feet. The keyword I found was keratosis, and the recommendation was for cream with 40% urea. I got both that and the cuticle remover. I’ve used both 3-4x so far, the cuticle remover on my nails and surrounding skin and the urea cream on my feet and hands. I can’t pick at the dry skin now because it’s just…gone. My feet are smoother but will need several more applications because of how much dead skin is there. But holy shit it’s like I’ve undone a lifetime of damage in one week. Sharing in case this helps someone.

I have a bad habit of peeling the skin off my fingers. Every time I try to stop, I go back to peeling again, and I always realize it hurts when I do simple things like washing my hands. I discovered that if I cut my nails regularly, before they grow long, I can't peel the skin, but after that, even if they aren't long, I can. I tried wrapping my fingers with gauze or tape, I don't know what it's called, but it's no use. As soon as I take it off, I go back to peeling. The issue bothers me, and I don't know what causes it, but it's a little painful sometimes. What's the solution?

Do you have any words of affirmation you say to yourself after you've had a long picking session? I was doing well for about 2 days and today I had a bad relapse and now I feel like an ugly, disgusting failure. Any ideas would be appreciated.

I have significantly decreased my picking (mostly by getting better skin with skincare), however my marks are not leaving. I still pick sometimes and cause some marks but here i see people who dont pick for a week or two and basically have very even skintone... how???? my biggest wish in life is to be able to go foundation free but it feels like its impossible.....

I've been a chronic skin picker for most of my life but in the past year it's gotten so much worse to the point where I'm terrified to show my arms or legs because of how bad they are, I probably have about 30-50 scabs on just my arms alone. I've been feeling sluggish and unwell lately, I brought it up to my doctor and she suggested I get some blood work done but I'm so embarrassed to show my arms because I know whoever takes my blood will say something or will talk about it with the other employees there after. I hate having this problem so much, before it used to just affect my social life, now it's literally affecting my health. I know I should just suck it up but I can't stand seeing the look of shock or disgust or the comments when normal people see my skin.

Things have been really awful. Been causing myself infections left and right. I was on meds in the past but tbh they didn’t do anything for me …. I tried Prozac lexapro klonopin seroquel. this was a few years ago. But things have just gotten progressively worse over the years and I’m thinking about trying again. Have you guys had any luck/improvement with meds?

Yep.

They just keep filling up like crazy every few hours but seems like to no end and with no change. Anything else I can do to address the inflated pus filled self inflicted spots? To make things worse it’s my birthday and I’m sitting here miserable cause of this what seems to be a lifelong battle

Is there anything anyone can recommend to cover an open area on the scalp? Normal bandages/wound coverings won't stay because of all the hair in the way.

I recently started picking a raised bump on my scalp that had been there for a couple years at least (*see end of post for unpleasant detail). I picked the spot enough that at first the skin opened and created a small scab. But then I picked the scab and the skin around it more and the open wound kept getting bigger. It's now about the size of a dime. I have been doing my best to keep it clean and dry and have done okay with not touching it now because it is quite tender.

Should I put an occlusive ointment on it? I don't love the idea of having that stuff in my hair but it's better than continuing to pick and causing an infection or cellulitis. I just worry about trapping any bacteria in the wound and not allowing it to dry out by being exposed to the air. But if it's exposed, my fingers will find it whether I want them to or not.

*TW: graphic description of wound/cyst

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This evening after my shower I felt something kind of protruding from the edge of the wound, which at first just felt like a raised flap of skin or other tissue. I poked and prodded it and eventually lightly picked at it, and out came what I can only assume was an enclosed cyst sac? It must have been whatever little "rock" I had been feeling under the skin for so long. It was white and firm but kind of rubbery feeling, and when I cut it open it was solid and the same texture all the way through. I was kind of expecting it to be full of pus or whatever it is that accumulates in a big pimple. I'm satisfied that I actually removed whatever the sac was from my head, but I also feel ashamed that I feel satisfied by it. I'm hoping that now that it's out, my brain and fingers will be able to ignore the wound more easily, but it's certainly not a guarantee that I'll be able to leave it alone.

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This is something I've had since I was a child, and I've never met anyone else who experiences it.

I'm obsessed with pulling hairs (or lint/fluff) out of cuts or wounds. If someone in my family has a cut and I notice there's a hair stuck in it, I can't stop thinking about it. I'll either ask if I can pull it out, or if they don't want me to, I'll ask them to pull it out themselves because I just need it gone.

If it's my own cut, it's even worse. I'll constantly check it until it heals because I'm always looking for hairs or fluff that have become trapped. I get a huge sense of satisfaction from pulling them out. It's honestly one of the most satisfying feelings I can describe.

I think about it a lot, and I've even searched online for videos of people pulling hairs out of cuts because I find it so satisfying, but I can't seem to find anything.

I've had this for as long as I can remember, and I've always wondered if anyone else experiences this, or if it has a name. Am I the only one?

I’ve been doing really good, I hadn’t picked my skin for around a week, but tonight as I was doing my nighttime routine I gave in to the urges and picked. 🙁🙁 I’m so upset with myself, I should’ve just done my routine and gone to bed, but I got rid of all of my progress and I feel so guilty.

What’s even worse is I know that I didn’t “get all of it out” (part of my OCD) so I still feel disgusting and will probably pick again tomorrow morning.

having a really really difficult time recently & i’m just so sick and tired of the stinging pain on my scalp and having to wash my hair again to clean my scalp

i almost wish i picked another area of my body that is actually visible instead of my scalp because there’s almost no repercussions to the scalp picking except the distress and the pain.

i’m so tired.

I just can’t seem to stop picking at my skin. I pick mostly my face and back but I’ll also pick my chest, legs and feet if I notice any kind of imperfection. I’ve tried so many things and it just hasn’t worked. I’ve tried several medications with no success, I’ve tried fidgets and therapy exercises and hydrocolloid patches and skincare products and it just isn’t working. I’m genuinely at a loss and I’m in tears most nights because of it. Going to school makes me insecure and terrified but I can’t wear makeup because it makes my acne worse. I feel like I’ve explored every option but I just can’t find something that works for me. My triggers are any noticing imperfections in my skin and mirrors and I try to avoid both but I still end up in hour long picking sessions. The worst part is I know I need to stop but I can’t physically drag myself away from the mirror but its like I don’t have the willpower and afterwards I just feel weak and useless for giving in to the urge. I’m so grateful for any help because I’m just so upset and sick of this habit.