Can I just say thank you so much for making this content. I have had this issue for as long as I can remember, though it has become worse over the years and through the stresses of my job. I reached the end of week one of this lockdown and I realised I'd savaged my face. I've decided to use the fact that I have been forced to slow down for lockdown to actively recognise and address my dermatillomania for the first time ever. Your video is so helpful and relatable!
ihavegingeritis hey! Thank you so very much for taking the time to watch it and comment ☺️ I’m sorry to hear you’ve been struggling but pleased you’re using this time to get to know the causes on a deeper level. There’s a part of you inside that wants to be heard and you’re taking the necessary steps to listen. Be proud of yourself for that - this is a journey 😊 sending lots of love!
oh wow. I'm almost opposite. when I have an event coming up I start picking more from anxiety of the unknown. my skin always gets worse before an event. but its been better than ever lately. I've been working on moisturizing and scrubbing and getting sun to try to solve my problems.
Cierra Ariel Hey Cierra! Thank you for your comment and for watching ☺️ that’s very common and is something I have done many times too. From my experience, I’ve noticed that whenever I feel a deep unease about going somewhere (even if it’s something very casual and I just don’t feel like being sociable) i skin-pick obsessively before. This is probably a part of myself both procrastinating from going and also making it difficult for me to see it through. An example of this would be a flight I was meant to catch in order to try work things out with an ex boyfriend. I knew in my heart I didn’t want to go but felt obliged to - instead I picked for 3 hours until I had a panic attack and ultimately missed the flight because of it. These days, I pick up on these little signs and allow myself to take a step back or excuse myself when I feel I need to do what’s best for me 💗 the “prize mentality” I mention in the video is more for when you actually want to attend something and you prep your skin for the occasion, if that makes sense? Id love to hear your thoughts on this!
That's what I was about to say! I usually manage to hold off until the night before, and then look in the mirror, decide to clear out my pores before the event bc I convince myself it will help... and realize an hour later I'm all bloody and I've ruined my face again. Then cake on the foundation the next day :(
Summer Lily Calder exactly. So so tough. Bc you truly want to do what’s best for your self. I feel you girl. Just breathe. I put on long sleeve clothing after I have a bad session or relapse. Then I won’t “look at it “ for two days until It somewhat heals. After that I’ll start moisturizing and try to get some sunshine on my skin. ❤️ hope that helps
I've picked on my skin since I was 8, and now I'm 16. It's only now that I'm realizing that this is a problem. The trigger to realizing this was when I peeled enough skin off my heels that I couldn't stand properly. Thank you for this video. I don't feel so alone in this craziness right now.
It’s really helpful to hear you talk about this the way you do. I loved you’re management approach and hearing you say “I want to be easy on myself”, a great example of self compassion!
Megan Beauregard Thank you so very much Megan - your words really have put a smile on my face ☺️❤️ It does sound strange, but releasing the pressure to fix and stop compulsive skin-picking does in fact decrease it as dermatillomania feeds off pressure. I’d love to hear your thoughts and I hope you’re well during these tense times!
I have done this most of my life. I am 48. When I am overwhelmed, my thumbs are a bloody mess. Scabs do not heal. Now if I am on vacation or in a rare calm section of my life, it's like I will look down and notice how nice and healed my thumbs look. But as soon as my stress picks up again, I start at cuticles and just make them raw. Put bandaids on them. If anyone says anything I say it is a skin allergy. I have had three scabs on my thigh for 3 months. They are healing finally after an epsom salt bath soak.
this video is amazing! I had been looking for people that had the same thing as me and I just happened to stumble upon your videos. Listening to you and relating to everything you say made me realize I might have had dermatillomania since my early teens...and with the isolation and quarantine, it's gotten even worse this past month, given the boredom and anxiety + my perfectionism (that has always been there). It feels really really good to know we're not alone out there, and that simply "not picking" isn't as easy of an option for everyone. Thanks a lot for all your videos and for exposing your trajectory in such an honest and vulnerable way!
Isabella Jiacomini Thank you so so much Isabella! It really means so much to me and I appreciate your kind words and support ❤️ After many years of suffering, I made the decision to start talking about it in hopes to find others that truly understand. It’s literally changed my life to finally feel like there are many people in the world who really do🥰❤️
That’s so interesting to hear you talk about prize mentality as you call it. I didn’t even realize that I do that, but I definitely do. If I have an event to go to in about four or five days I tell myself I can’t pick or else I will ruin the event. I’ve only made it a few times and like you, I always go crazy on it once I get back home. Lately it has gotten worse for me because I have also started to excessively exfoliate even when I’m just in my bed or at my desk. I will rub the areas of my face that are trying to heal, and try to rub off the dead skin and scabs. I only make it ten times worse because it gets red and inflamed and will never fully heal properly and also spreads bacteria which will make my skin breakout which will lead to even more picking. It’s weird that in the moment I feel like I am somehow smoothing my skin out when I exfoliate it even though I know that logically I am making it a lot worse. The only thing that has stopped it is putting bandages over the areas but then it is really embarrassing and people thing I am weird.
Stephen Mason Hey Stephen, first of all thank you so much for watching and for taking the time to write this great comment. It sounds to me like perhaps you’re trying to ‘undo’ the damage caused which is very much part of the dermatillomania ritual. Sounds strange, but the ritualistic, obsessive cleaning and hydrating of the skin afterwards is just as important to take note of as this is your way of trying to heal and override the damage. It’s easy for us to only focus on the picking aspect of this pattern however the excessive caring of the skin afterwards also causes psychological damage. This is because we believe what we’re doing is a good thing and makes us feel like we have what it takes to finally put these actions to an end. Ill be explaining this some more in my next video but I’d love to hear your thoughts on the subject! Hope you’re well and staying safe during this tense time. Love from 🇬🇧
Hey Kim, thanks for responding! I think you are right that I am trying to “undo” the damage that I have done. Unfortunately I am making it much worse... A common theme I’ve noticed in my habits to do with my skin is that I hold onto one time that something worked in my mind and block out the hundreds of times it didn’t. ...let me explain what I mean. There have been a very few amount of times that I popped a pimple and it healed perfectly and it turned out exactly as I wanted. There have been a few times that I have removed dead skin and I revealed perfectly healed skin underneath and it was amazing. The problem is that this has only happed a few times and the vast majority of the time I end up damaging the skin and making it a million times worse. I don’t know why I can’t get these few exceptions out of my mind. I really look forward to your next videos, keep it up! Hope you’re doing well too during these times 🇨🇦 👋
@@fitnesswithsteve Thank you for explaining further - it makes a lot of sense because your mind is trying to rationalize what you're doing, hoping to justify why you're continuing to do this. It's so easy for us to try and find ways to continue doing something we don't want to stop doing, even if that thing is causing us a lot of physical and emotional harm. You know when you tell yourself you can't have something and it makes you want it more? Bit like that. Its completely understandable that you're exfoliating and excessively washing your skin after picking, knowing that skin-picking essentially spreads bacteria around. But please take note of how that makes your skin feel after - does it physically feel good for your skin or not? After picking, the skin needs time to heal itself, which is actually what you're trying to speed up. As you develop on your journey, understand that skin-picking is and will continue to be a process as you get to know yourself and how it's began more. Take it easy, I'm sure you're doing the best you can and thats 100% enough :) Speak soon!
I pick so much in class that I started to wear a non white sweatshirt to school so that when I bleed I could cover it up with the sweatshirt. I still have the blood stains on them. I’m really scared to tell my mom abt it but Ik it has to be done.
Iv had acne since the 5th grade and I picked up until now 10th grade and when I didn’t have acne when I was little I picked at all my scabs and mosquito bites. My mom never knew why.
You are such a great person, I always feeling so good because of you and your words. I feel so understood! See you on Instagram or again here on TH-cam 🙂♥️
lacry mosa thank you ever so much Lacry Mosa 😭💗 it means a lot to me. I’m so happy it helps and really excited to post more videos regularly! Hope you’re well and staying safe xx
I'm procrastinating during watching this video, and I caught my hands rubbing my face to find something to pick when she said that. I do try to stop skin picking before having to wear something that shows the places I've picked, but I guess I recently stopped holding back because it wouldn't make a difference. I also try to find clothes that cover where I've picked. I think my life would be different, and I would want to stop it. I dont know why I do it, I guess I feel relief when I do, and if i dont pick a good pick I'll have to do it until i find a good one, and then I'll continue picking that spot until nothing different happens, or it's a bloody mess. I dont know though, because I dont think I do it to relieve anxiety. It's more like removing imperfections, and feeling satisfied or something.
Everything you said really resonated with me. Especially the “prize” mentality. I pick my lips. It’s gotten so bad lately with my husband being away for work. I have an appt coming up soon with a mental health specialist and I’m thinking I will bring this up as well. I’ve had this since about my early teen years and I’m 34 now. I didn’t even know this had a name until a few years ago. And I was hesitant to call it that because I thought maybe I was making a storm out of a glass of water (not sure if that translates well in English lol). But I’m making an effort now to get help with my mental health and actually name things that I feel I may have.
Thank you so much for making this video, I'm in my late 60's and I've only developed skin picking over the past 7 or so years. It's incredibly helpful to hear people openly talking about it these days! People just don't get it and I've used make up and concealer to hide my scars and sore bits. I'm actually so glad it's autumn now and I can wear long sleeves. X
Thank you for this video! I have had this issue since I was 7. I am now nearly 34! Constantly pick my lips. Never got help for it. I think mine has always been a anxious issue xx
Thank you for making this. I have a lip picking issue and I was not aware that it could be a bigger problem. Also, I love the color of your lipstick! Thank you again.
I have emotional attachment. I pick at my skin as a means of distracting or coping with feeling stressed out and anxious and a lack of control, trying to extract the imperfections out of my skin as a metaphor for those in my life. If my skin isn't perfect, I perceive my life as bad and when my life isn't perfect, I take it out on my skin. Vicious cycle. I'm a bit shocked and relieved to know other people here know this relationship well. I hope we all find peace
I saw another TH-camr talking about OCD and dermatillomania and it kind of sounded like something I have. So I looked it up and came to your video. I have very, very mild OCD and I skin pick my fingers. I never thought to connect the two or knew that anyone had it. Maybe I knew it might have something to do with OCD but I was afraid to make the connection. Even after watching your video, idk if it's a habit or related to my OCD. I don't feel anxiety over not doing it but I do find myself doing it without realizing it. I have manipulated it consciously and subconsciously. I wouldn't do it in front of people that I don't want to find out that I do it like my friends. I also nail bite and nail pick. Idk if that's related. I've done it all my life since I was really little. Idk what this comment is turning into. Thanks for reading though :) Good to know at least I'm not weird :P
Amazing content, finally took my skin picking to therapy for the first time 2 weeks ago, started at 12 and I'm now nearly 30. The first time I tried to introduce the topic was 2017 . I expressed I had slept with a needle next to my bed since the age of 12 but the professional asked me "do you use this to scratch yourself?" I said yes because that seemed more acceptable than "picking" otherwise wouldn't they have asked me if I used it to pick? long story short, been massively mislabelled as emotionally unstable due to it seeming deliberate rather than compulsive. Also waiting for an autism assessment to see if my skin picking is a part of a neurodevelopmental diagnosis. I just hope for some answers!
thank you SO MUCH for making this video. i feel like you’re reading my mind - i’ve never been able to put my feelings around my skin picking into words like this. every question you asked, i answered yes to. i’m especially struggling with it now during quarantine since i live alone and don’t have to show my face anywhere. thank you for creating a safe space for people who struggle with this as it’s so difficult/shameful to talk about. sending you much love and gratitude from boston, MA, USA. ♥️
I’m 25 and have always picked, as did my mum but since 17-18 I’ve started As soon as I see a mirror and notice a blackhead, I start to just try to pick at something that is nothing but I feel . When it starts to get raw and I’m actually just scraping instead of popping, I’m constantly telling myself to stop. I never do, I just keep saying it. Once I notice how red my whole face is I just think I’ll wash it, use polysporne and hold ice cubes on my Face but I realize I’ve been in there for 2-3 hours just going on the arms, reaching my back just feeling for any little bump I can scrape. I’ve had to call into work days in a row because I’m just so insecure and I hate it the whole time I’m doing it. I’ll sit in the couch and just feel my face and legs and watch tv and not even looking in a mirror. This normally happens when I have nothing to do and that I have a day for the redness of just one little blackhead (which I can easily just lightly pick and then get ready and go to work... but if I’m “bored” then I’m like oh ya I’ll just get this one more that’s by my hairline so it’s hidden.... then I just start feeling everywhere). If I do pop a blackhead or small whitehead (attempting to be gentle to avoid damage or irritation) I still feel a bump so I just keep digging to where I’m just ripping the skin off of wear I feel like the bump so I “get all of it out” and then I have to wait for it to scab and heal while trying not to pick at the scab because it just feels gross. It’s normally my chin and my cheeks so around my mouth I always think it looks disgusting and it hurts too because just moving my face muscles to eat or talk feels like it’s tearing apart. I just watched this cause I actually just finished doing that tonight for the last 2 hours and I’m mad at myself because I haven’t done this damage to myself for a couple months now. Luckily with covid I guess I can hide it with a mask for a plus side? I’m trying to not go overboard trying quick fixes like hydrogen peroxide. Then I re wash my face and think maybe some acne gel but it stings like crazy on open skin. Then polysporne until I’m tired of the slimy gel sitting on my skin and thinking it’s blocking my pores so I wash my face again, and so on and so on. I’m going to sort through all my closets and shoes and that will keep me busy until bed because even though I can tell I’m mentally sure that I will not pick anymore, I still just touch my face where I destroyed it to feel if it’s not as sore or if the swelling is down, because then I overwash my face so the wounds stay clean so they heal and not just clog up with dirt or oils from me touching the couch where people have sat with outdoor dirty clothes or put they’re feet up on lol I hope to find a more permanent and steady hobby for this but I just can’t get into anything so chores will do for now lol
Wow I feel the exact same. I’ll feel my face while looking in the mirror in the bathroom and I’ll just pick away even at something that wasn’t even there before. I always think there’s more and I keep picking and picking until my whole face is swollen and I too wash my face to clean it(and it burns for me too). I’ll be in the bathroom for at least two hours and my mom always gets mad at me. I also pick a lot on the bumps I get on my legs after shaving. I hope you are doing better since that was a month ago and don’t worry you’re not alone.
@@kikii8431 thank you, and back to you as well! I’ve just gotten rid of bad influences, started doing puzzles. My cat I got has kept me in line. Slowly but surely!
I don’t wanna self diagnose or anything but this is genuinely something I think I have. My legs and feet are missing big chunks of skin and look awful. It gets worse when my anxiety is bad. But things like spots on my face I pick them without even realising. And I feel a sense of relief when I peel a scab. I have a netball match tomorrow and i have to wear a dress from it and I’m really dreading it because my legs are a mess. How exactly did you go about getting diagnosed with this because I think this might be something that I have.
Thank u so much for your channel and videos. I am so grateful for u and youve helped me a lot. I’m in 8th grade now and It scares me to think i will struggle with this for the rest of my life. It got really bad last quarter I was picking 6 hours a day and I failed math because I was stressed and skin picking instead of paying attention. I pick my fingers and It effects every aspect of my life and I literally can’t function like a normal human being. If it’s this bad in middle school, how horrible will it get in high school and college
Hey, I'm grateful for your support, watching and for sharing your struggles. It sounds like there's a lot of stressful stuff going on right now which would explain the 6 hour picking episodes. What have you tried so far for stress reduction, if anything? It would also be beneficial to speak to someone about how you're feeling, if that would be something you're open to try?
Idk about anyone else’s but what you said about maybe you might not want to stop doing this ... I have felt that way for years and I thought I was the only one who felt like that. Thank you
You’re very welcome my friend. There’s probably a vast majority of us that feel this way as it’s like a push-pull situation. Making peace with that and accepting the fact that a part of me was nervous of the unknown (without skin picking as my safety mechanism) helped me to embrace the journey a lot more 😌
It’s interesting this prize mentality thing, it’s the opposite for me. When I know there’s an event where I have to take pictures and such I hyperfixate on every imperfection on my face and think that every tiny blackhead is gonna be so noticeable on camera, then I pick my skin and before I know it my whole face is covered in wounds
Wow for such a long time I didn’t realize what I did was a problem but when I started noticing I was guilty about doing it and it was prolonged periods of time I did some research and I want to get a proper diagnosis because I’m pretty sure I have it :( so I’d like thank you for your content because its encouraged me to try and manage this issue better❤️
Im sixteen and a female and I'm not sure if I have it because I pick my fingers and my family says that I have to stop and I pick it when I'm bored in class and the clinic at my school won't give me anymore because I used it all up
Hey Morris. Thank you for your message. I think it would be a great time to search more on dermatillomania to see if your experiences can relate to the common symptoms. If so, there are a variety of resources available to help and hopefully you can give them a go if and when you feel confident to 💛
You know how you brush your teeth a lot the week of a dentist appointment? Who else does that with their picking before a doctor's appointment, where they don't pick and let it heal before going or pick in invisible places like the scalp subconsciously?
Mannn I’ve been going through this since a child dealing with emotional abuse as well as physical I’d bite and eat on my fingers till I couldn’t bend or ball my hands into a fist it was so bad at school I couldn’t write half the time not even my name without being in pain I’d be sent to the nurse because of my teacher would be like 👁👄👁 I’m not 21 and I would go a period of time without doing this but relapse and in one day each finger and mainly my thumbs It’s like I’d binge eat my fingers after fasting it felt like in my brain making up for lost time some days are better than others some are worse than ever ..imma try some tricks thank you 😊🤦🏾♀️
I have always been obsessed with watching pimple popping videos as well as obsessively pick at any tiny imperfection on my body. I don't get acne often but I will scan my entire body several times a day trying to find something to pick at. When I'm watching the videos I feel stressed and don't really want to watch them but can't stop. It's gotten worse recently. I've been going thru a ptsd relapse. Today my face, neck, scalp and shoulders have several open sores. Ugh. It feels emotionally good when I'm doing it but physically hurts and still can't stop.
Any sort of bump or anything on my skin that isnt smooth I have to fix especially on my arms and legs. It started with my scalp when I was going and never stopped. Anxiety makes it so much worse but boredom does too. I try to keep clothing over the areas to help. My mom has this too. I'm not a doctor and I'm not diagnosed but this is what I struggle with.
lately i've been trying to avoid spending a lot of time looking in the mirror just so i dont spot any "imperfections" i could pick at, however since i stopped picking at my face i've noticed just how often i find myself absentmindedly picking at ingrown hairs on my legs and bikini area whenever i go to the bathroom. i dont even realize i'm doing it, it just sort of happens. i guess i've never really stopped picking for longer than a couple of days, i just do it in more hidden areas because in my head that's not "as bad". in reality, sometimes it gets even worse because if its a hidden area i dont have to hold back, since no one's going to see the damage.
Omg I agree with so many of these things. I’m 12 and during this holiday I have been picking but then I stopped because I’m going back to school tomorrow. It was the same during quarantine. I want to tell my mum that I think I have dermo but I don’t know how because she just thinks that it’s acne even though I am causing scars and bleeding and then re-picking the scars. I use makeup to try and get rid of it and acne cream but it does nothing. Do you have any tips to telling my mum that I think I have dermo (because it would be really helpful).
I’m turning 18 soon but I realized that I have had it since I was 10 and I used to always blame my eczema and I would think that it’s because I already have a skin condition. I would use the eczema steroid creams to areas whenever they get severe so I don’t have too many scars but I have a very bad addiction to scratching my scalp the most and my neck. Even when I’m sleeping I pick at my scalp so hard I wake up with skin pieces in my nails. I never knew this was a whole disorder, I don’t know how my parents are going to take it either I’m sos scared to tell them.
I've been picking for a long time, only in these past 6-7 years have I noticed it become a major issue, with the exception of when I had eczema. I believe it may have started as a coping mechanism from past trauma and just got extremely out of my control. for a while I thought I would only pick because of stress but I find that's not the case anymore. it didn't really affect my appearance at first, since I would mostly keep to picking the skin on my fingers... and them I got acne, and the target moved to my face. I have talked to doctors, my psychiatrist and anyone else who I thought might be able to help but nothing I tried helped. at this point my lips are constantly raw and bleeding and the corners of my mouth are always in pain. even when I try to let it heal it doesn't last long cuz I can barely open my mouth to eat anything without the wounds tearing open again and making me pick at it. my scalp is also sore and scabby because of my picking and I'm starting to think I have psoriasis as well
I also have dermatilomania I would like to tell you guys just use a anti-anxiety pill clonazepam. 5 mg u will be alright I have found this... Nobody tell u this
I've picked my skin on and off since around the age of 10/11 I think. I'm 35 now. When I say on and off it's on when I have things on my mind or I'm stressed or bored. I've sometimes been stuck in front of the mirror for long periods of time, but I don't do it to the extent that I have large wounds, but I look like a used dart board at times. Sometimes I'm conscious of how it looks in public but at the same time I'm not the type to care about what people think (depending on who it is). If I have something like an interview coming up I try to stop but always seem to find something on my face to "get rid of" but the next day or few hours it looks worse and I know that people probably wouldn't have notified before. I went to see a GP about it once and he said it's just a habit and nothing needed to be done about it. I don't know if it's a habit or not because when I'm happy I don't do it. I do it in secret as I've always been told off for doing it, I also try and do it in places people don't tend to see like my head and backs of my arms. I can relate to a lot of things you said in the video. It's like being in a trance and I'm completely relaxed. At the moment though I think lockdown has made it worse and I've also had a few other issues recently too. If I do have Derma then I'd consider it mild, but atm I'm a little concerned about a particular spot on my head that may become infected and also I've mistaken a vein for a spot and their was quite a lot of blood so I have to try and remember to avoid it. Thanks for the video, it seems that other videos don't really hit the nail on the head like yours does. Edit: I also remember when I was a kid I briefly went through a phase of pulling my hair out, bit it didn't last long. I can't remember if I did that before I started skin picking 🤔
Fuck I have this, it’s been something I’ve been conscious of for a long time and I mainly focus on my hands and scalp but if there’s any other flaws I notice I’ll pick there too. I’ve been trying so hard to stop picking my hands lately but I break so often that I don’t know what to do 😅
I’m not sure why, I’m sure I have dermatillomania and it’s very annoying because I get mad when my skin looks bad...but also when I notice something that I want to pick and I don’t my anger levels fly up and I’m much more touchy. It’s almost like withdrawals. Do you have any advice on that??
Aweee im 12 as well I've had eczema until 7 when i moved to a new state but I thought that i still had it... until i realized it was dermatillomania. I have huge scars on my arms, legs, feet, hands, fingers, and i recently started on my face i hate it so much it looks like acne!!! I often find myself skipping school and hating going to stores i just want it to go away ToT
Interesting that people generally start like teens early 20s, I remember doing this when I was like 4 or 5 Thought it went away in secondary school but looking back, we had these chairs and the legs had this rubbery stuff on it and I'd just pick it all off and have to like subtley scrape it off the floor n bin it 🤣
Welp I self harm and pick my skin 🙂 But honestly, as much as I want to completely get rid of self harm because I know it's wrong and painful and leaves big scars, I am just soooo emotionally attached to skin picking, I could never stop. I can't imagine a life where I don't touch my skin and pick on it everyday. I just can't. I need it, I have to do it.
Thanks for your comment Ryan but unfortunately for many - including myself - it’s not as easy as that because it’s a mental condition. Meaning, we’ll sabotage the wound’s healing and/or create new wounds whilst old ones heal.
Can I just say thank you so much for making this content. I have had this issue for as long as I can remember, though it has become worse over the years and through the stresses of my job.
I reached the end of week one of this lockdown and I realised I'd savaged my face. I've decided to use the fact that I have been forced to slow down for lockdown to actively recognise and address my dermatillomania for the first time ever.
Your video is so helpful and relatable!
ihavegingeritis hey! Thank you so very much for taking the time to watch it and comment ☺️ I’m sorry to hear you’ve been struggling but pleased you’re using this time to get to know the causes on a deeper level. There’s a part of you inside that wants to be heard and you’re taking the necessary steps to listen. Be proud of yourself for that - this is a journey 😊 sending lots of love!
Mine started off as a anxiety disorder and then just became habit. I do it when I'm happy, sad, bored etc
oh wow. I'm almost opposite. when I have an event coming up I start picking more from anxiety of the unknown. my skin always gets worse before an event. but its been better than ever lately. I've been working on moisturizing and scrubbing and getting sun to try to solve my problems.
Cierra Ariel Hey Cierra! Thank you for your comment and for watching ☺️ that’s very common and is something I have done many times too. From my experience, I’ve noticed that whenever I feel a deep unease about going somewhere (even if it’s something very casual and I just don’t feel like being sociable) i skin-pick obsessively before. This is probably a part of myself both procrastinating from going and also making it difficult for me to see it through. An example of this would be a flight I was meant to catch in order to try work things out with an ex boyfriend.
I knew in my heart I didn’t want to go but felt obliged to - instead I picked for 3 hours until I had a panic attack and ultimately missed the flight because of it. These days, I pick up on these little signs and allow myself to take a step back or excuse myself when I feel I need to do what’s best for me 💗 the “prize mentality” I mention in the video is more for when you actually want to attend something and you prep your skin for the occasion, if that makes sense? Id love to hear your thoughts on this!
That's what I was about to say! I usually manage to hold off until the night before, and then look in the mirror, decide to clear out my pores before the event bc I convince myself it will help... and realize an hour later I'm all bloody and I've ruined my face again. Then cake on the foundation the next day :(
Summer Lily Calder exactly. So so tough. Bc you truly want to do what’s best for your self. I feel you girl. Just breathe. I put on long sleeve clothing after I have a bad session or relapse. Then I won’t “look at it “ for two days until It somewhat heals. After that I’ll start moisturizing and try to get some sunshine on my skin. ❤️ hope that helps
I've picked on my skin since I was 8, and now I'm 16. It's only now that I'm realizing that this is a problem. The trigger to realizing this was when I peeled enough skin off my heels that I couldn't stand properly.
Thank you for this video. I don't feel so alone in this craziness right now.
It’s really helpful to hear you talk about this the way you do. I loved you’re management approach and hearing you say “I want to be easy on myself”, a great example of self compassion!
Megan Beauregard Thank you so very much Megan - your words really have put a smile on my face ☺️❤️ It does sound strange, but releasing the pressure to fix and stop compulsive skin-picking does in fact decrease it as dermatillomania feeds off pressure. I’d love to hear your thoughts and I hope you’re well during these tense times!
I have done this most of my life. I am 48. When I am overwhelmed, my thumbs are a bloody mess. Scabs do not heal. Now if I am on vacation or in a rare calm section of my life, it's like I will look down and notice how nice and healed my thumbs look. But as soon as my stress picks up again, I start at cuticles and just make them raw. Put bandaids on them. If anyone says anything I say it is a skin allergy. I have had three scabs on my thigh for 3 months. They are healing finally after an epsom salt bath soak.
Same just I’m younger
this video is amazing! I had been looking for people that had the same thing as me and I just happened to stumble upon your videos. Listening to you and relating to everything you say made me realize I might have had dermatillomania since my early teens...and with the isolation and quarantine, it's gotten even worse this past month, given the boredom and anxiety + my perfectionism (that has always been there). It feels really really good to know we're not alone out there, and that simply "not picking" isn't as easy of an option for everyone. Thanks a lot for all your videos and for exposing your trajectory in such an honest and vulnerable way!
Isabella Jiacomini Thank you so so much Isabella! It really means so much to me and I appreciate your kind words and support ❤️ After many years of suffering, I made the decision to start talking about it in hopes to find others that truly understand. It’s literally changed my life to finally feel like there are many people in the world who really do🥰❤️
@@KIMONSKIN🥰
That’s so interesting to hear you talk about prize mentality as you call it. I didn’t even realize that I do that, but I definitely do. If I have an event to go to in about four or five days I tell myself I can’t pick or else I will ruin the event. I’ve only made it a few times and like you, I always go crazy on it once I get back home.
Lately it has gotten worse for me because I have also started to excessively exfoliate even when I’m just in my bed or at my desk. I will rub the areas of my face that are trying to heal, and try to rub off the dead skin and scabs. I only make it ten times worse because it gets red and inflamed and will never fully heal properly and also spreads bacteria which will make my skin breakout which will lead to even more picking.
It’s weird that in the moment I feel like I am somehow smoothing my skin out when I exfoliate it even though I know that logically I am making it a lot worse. The only thing that has stopped it is putting bandages over the areas but then it is really embarrassing and people thing I am weird.
Stephen Mason Hey Stephen, first of all thank you so much for watching and for taking the time to write this great comment. It sounds to me like perhaps you’re trying to ‘undo’ the damage caused which is very much part of the dermatillomania ritual. Sounds strange, but the ritualistic, obsessive cleaning and hydrating of the skin afterwards is just as important to take note of as this is your way of trying to heal and override the damage. It’s easy for us to only focus on the picking aspect of this pattern however the excessive caring of the skin afterwards also causes psychological damage. This is because we believe what we’re doing is a good thing and makes us feel like we have what it takes to finally put these actions to an end. Ill be explaining this some more in my next video but I’d love to hear your thoughts on the subject! Hope you’re well and staying safe during this tense time. Love from 🇬🇧
Hey Kim, thanks for responding!
I think you are right that I am trying to “undo” the damage that I have done. Unfortunately I am making it much worse...
A common theme I’ve noticed in my habits to do with my skin is that I hold onto one time that something worked in my mind and block out the hundreds of times it didn’t. ...let me explain what I mean. There have been a very few amount of times that I popped a pimple and it healed perfectly and it turned out exactly as I wanted. There have been a few times that I have removed dead skin and I revealed perfectly healed skin underneath and it was amazing. The problem is that this has only happed a few times and the vast majority of the time I end up damaging the skin and making it a million times worse. I don’t know why I can’t get these few exceptions out of my mind.
I really look forward to your next videos, keep it up! Hope you’re doing well too during these times
🇨🇦 👋
@@fitnesswithsteve Thank you for explaining further - it makes a lot of sense because your mind is trying to rationalize what you're doing, hoping to justify why you're continuing to do this.
It's so easy for us to try and find ways to continue doing something we don't want to stop doing, even if that thing is causing us a lot of physical and emotional harm. You know when you tell yourself you can't have something and it makes you want it more? Bit like that.
Its completely understandable that you're exfoliating and excessively washing your skin after picking, knowing that skin-picking essentially spreads bacteria around. But please take note of how that makes your skin feel after - does it physically feel good for your skin or not? After picking, the skin needs time to heal itself, which is actually what you're trying to speed up. As you develop on your journey, understand that skin-picking is and will continue to be a process as you get to know yourself and how it's began more. Take it easy, I'm sure you're doing the best you can and thats 100% enough :) Speak soon!
I pick so much in class that I started to wear a non white sweatshirt to school so that when I bleed I could cover it up with the sweatshirt. I still have the blood stains on them. I’m really scared to tell my mom abt it but Ik it has to be done.
Iv had acne since the 5th grade and I picked up until now 10th grade and when I didn’t have acne when I was little I picked at all my scabs and mosquito bites. My mom never knew why.
You are such a great person, I always feeling so good because of you and your words. I feel so understood! See you on Instagram or again here on TH-cam 🙂♥️
lacry mosa thank you ever so much Lacry Mosa 😭💗 it means a lot to me. I’m so happy it helps and really excited to post more videos regularly! Hope you’re well and staying safe xx
I'm procrastinating during watching this video, and I caught my hands rubbing my face to find something to pick when she said that. I do try to stop skin picking before having to wear something that shows the places I've picked, but I guess I recently stopped holding back because it wouldn't make a difference. I also try to find clothes that cover where I've picked. I think my life would be different, and I would want to stop it. I dont know why I do it, I guess I feel relief when I do, and if i dont pick a good pick I'll have to do it until i find a good one, and then I'll continue picking that spot until nothing different happens, or it's a bloody mess. I dont know though, because I dont think I do it to relieve anxiety. It's more like removing imperfections, and feeling satisfied or something.
Everything you said really resonated with me. Especially the “prize” mentality. I pick my lips. It’s gotten so bad lately with my husband being away for work. I have an appt coming up soon with a mental health specialist and I’m thinking I will bring this up as well. I’ve had this since about my early teen years and I’m 34 now. I didn’t even know this had a name until a few years ago. And I was hesitant to call it that because I thought maybe I was making a storm out of a glass of water (not sure if that translates well in English lol). But I’m making an effort now to get help with my mental health and actually name things that I feel I may have.
Thank you so much for making this video, I'm in my late 60's and I've only developed skin picking over the past 7 or so years. It's incredibly helpful to hear people openly talking about it these days! People just don't get it and I've used make up and concealer to hide my scars and sore bits. I'm actually so glad it's autumn now and I can wear long sleeves. X
Thank you for this video! I have had this issue since I was 7. I am now nearly 34! Constantly pick my lips. Never got help for it. I think mine has always been a anxious issue xx
You’re very welcome and thank you for sharing 💛 I’ve got some new content coming soon to hopefully help!
Thank you for making this. I have a lip picking issue and I was not aware that it could be a bigger problem. Also, I love the color of your lipstick! Thank you again.
I have emotional attachment. I pick at my skin as a means of distracting or coping with feeling stressed out and anxious and a lack of control, trying to extract the imperfections out of my skin as a metaphor for those in my life. If my skin isn't perfect, I perceive my life as bad and when my life isn't perfect, I take it out on my skin. Vicious cycle. I'm a bit shocked and relieved to know other people here know this relationship well. I hope we all find peace
I saw another TH-camr talking about OCD and dermatillomania and it kind of sounded like something I have. So I looked it up and came to your video. I have very, very mild OCD and I skin pick my fingers. I never thought to connect the two or knew that anyone had it. Maybe I knew it might have something to do with OCD but I was afraid to make the connection. Even after watching your video, idk if it's a habit or related to my OCD. I don't feel anxiety over not doing it but I do find myself doing it without realizing it. I have manipulated it consciously and subconsciously. I wouldn't do it in front of people that I don't want to find out that I do it like my friends. I also nail bite and nail pick. Idk if that's related. I've done it all my life since I was really little. Idk what this comment is turning into. Thanks for reading though :) Good to know at least I'm not weird :P
Amazing content, finally took my skin picking to therapy for the first time 2 weeks ago, started at 12 and I'm now nearly 30. The first time I tried to introduce the topic was 2017 . I expressed I had slept with a needle next to my bed since the age of 12 but the professional asked me "do you use this to scratch yourself?" I said yes because that seemed more acceptable than "picking" otherwise wouldn't they have asked me if I used it to pick? long story short, been massively mislabelled as emotionally unstable due to it seeming deliberate rather than compulsive. Also waiting for an autism assessment to see if my skin picking is a part of a neurodevelopmental diagnosis. I just hope for some answers!
thank you SO MUCH for making this video. i feel like you’re reading my mind - i’ve never been able to put my feelings around my skin picking into words like this. every question you asked, i answered yes to. i’m especially struggling with it now during quarantine since i live alone and don’t have to show my face anywhere. thank you for creating a safe space for people who struggle with this as it’s so difficult/shameful to talk about. sending you much love and gratitude from boston, MA, USA. ♥️
I’m 25 and have always picked, as did my mum but since 17-18 I’ve started As soon as I see a mirror and notice a blackhead, I start to just try to pick at something that is nothing but I feel . When it starts to get raw and I’m actually just scraping instead of popping, I’m constantly telling myself to stop. I never do, I just keep saying it. Once I notice how red my whole face is I just think I’ll wash it, use polysporne and hold ice cubes on my Face but I realize I’ve been in there for 2-3 hours just going on the arms, reaching my back just feeling for any little bump I can scrape. I’ve had to call into work days in a row because I’m just so insecure and I hate it the whole time I’m doing it.
I’ll sit in the couch and just feel my face and legs and watch tv and not even looking in a mirror. This normally happens when I have nothing to do and that I have a day for the redness of just one little blackhead (which I can easily just lightly pick and then get ready and go to work... but if I’m “bored” then I’m like oh ya I’ll just get this one more that’s by my hairline so it’s hidden.... then I just start feeling everywhere). If I do pop a blackhead or small whitehead (attempting to be gentle to avoid damage or irritation) I still feel a bump so I just keep digging to where I’m just ripping the skin off of wear I feel like the bump so I “get all of it out” and then I have to wait for it to scab and heal while trying not to pick at the scab because it just feels gross. It’s normally my chin and my cheeks so around my mouth I always think it looks disgusting and it hurts too because just moving my face muscles to eat or talk feels like it’s tearing apart.
I just watched this cause I actually just finished doing that tonight for the last 2 hours and I’m mad at myself because I haven’t done this damage to myself for a couple months now.
Luckily with covid I guess I can hide it with a mask for a plus side?
I’m trying to not go overboard trying quick fixes like hydrogen peroxide. Then I re wash my face and think maybe some acne gel but it stings like crazy on open skin. Then polysporne until I’m tired of the slimy gel sitting on my skin and thinking it’s blocking my pores so I wash my face again, and so on and so on.
I’m going to sort through all my closets and shoes and that will keep me busy until bed because even though I can tell I’m mentally sure that I will not pick anymore, I still just touch my face where I destroyed it to feel if it’s not as sore or if the swelling is down, because then I overwash my face so the wounds stay clean so they heal and not just clog up with dirt or oils from me touching the couch where people have sat with outdoor dirty clothes or put they’re feet up on lol
I hope to find a more permanent and steady hobby for this but I just can’t get into anything so chores will do for now lol
Wow I feel the exact same. I’ll feel my face while looking in the mirror in the bathroom and I’ll just pick away even at something that wasn’t even there before. I always think there’s more and I keep picking and picking until my whole face is swollen and I too wash my face to clean it(and it burns for me too). I’ll be in the bathroom for at least two hours and my mom always gets mad at me. I also pick a lot on the bumps I get on my legs after shaving. I hope you are doing better since that was a month ago and don’t worry you’re not alone.
@@kikii8431 thank you, and back to you as well! I’ve just gotten rid of bad influences, started doing puzzles. My cat I got has kept me in line. Slowly but surely!
I don’t wanna self diagnose or anything but this is genuinely something I think I have. My legs and feet are missing big chunks of skin and look awful. It gets worse when my anxiety is bad. But things like spots on my face I pick them without even realising. And I feel a sense of relief when I peel a scab. I have a netball match tomorrow and i have to wear a dress from it and I’m really dreading it because my legs are a mess. How exactly did you go about getting diagnosed with this because I think this might be something that I have.
Thank you, needed to hear this
You’re so welcome. Thank you for watching! ❤️
Thank u so much for your channel and videos. I am so grateful for u and youve helped me a lot. I’m in 8th grade now and It scares me to think i will struggle with this for the rest of my life. It got really bad last quarter I was picking 6 hours a day and I failed math because I was stressed and skin picking instead of paying attention. I pick my fingers and It effects every aspect of my life and I literally can’t function like a normal human being. If it’s this bad in middle school, how horrible will it get in high school and college
Hey, I'm grateful for your support, watching and for sharing your struggles. It sounds like there's a lot of stressful stuff going on right now which would explain the 6 hour picking episodes. What have you tried so far for stress reduction, if anything? It would also be beneficial to speak to someone about how you're feeling, if that would be something you're open to try?
Idk about anyone else’s but what you said about maybe you might not want to stop doing this ... I have felt that way for years and I thought I was the only one who felt like that. Thank you
You’re very welcome my friend. There’s probably a vast majority of us that feel this way as it’s like a push-pull situation. Making peace with that and accepting the fact that a part of me was nervous of the unknown (without skin picking as my safety mechanism) helped me to embrace the journey a lot more 😌
It’s interesting this prize mentality thing, it’s the opposite for me. When I know there’s an event where I have to take pictures and such I hyperfixate on every imperfection on my face and think that every tiny blackhead is gonna be so noticeable on camera, then I pick my skin and before I know it my whole face is covered in wounds
Wow for such a long time I didn’t realize what I did was a problem but when I started noticing I was guilty about doing it and it was prolonged periods of time I did some research and I want to get a proper diagnosis because I’m pretty sure I have it :( so I’d like thank you for your content because its encouraged me to try and manage this issue better❤️
I'm really glad to hear this! Thank you for your comment and I hope your journey is a little easier now you're aware of what you may have x
Im sixteen and a female and I'm not sure if I have it because I pick my fingers and my family says that I have to stop and I pick it when I'm bored in class and the clinic at my school won't give me anymore because I used it all up
Hey Morris. Thank you for your message. I think it would be a great time to search more on dermatillomania to see if your experiences can relate to the common symptoms. If so, there are a variety of resources available to help and hopefully you can give them a go if and when you feel confident to 💛
You know how you brush your teeth a lot the week of a dentist appointment? Who else does that with their picking before a doctor's appointment, where they don't pick and let it heal before going or pick in invisible places like the scalp subconsciously?
Mannn I’ve been going through this since a child dealing with emotional abuse as well as physical I’d bite and eat on my fingers till I couldn’t bend or ball my hands into a fist it was so bad at school I couldn’t write half the time not even my name without being in pain I’d be sent to the nurse because of my teacher would be like 👁👄👁 I’m not 21 and I would go a period of time without doing this but relapse and in one day each finger and mainly my thumbs It’s like I’d binge eat my fingers after fasting it felt like in my brain making up for lost time some days are better than others some are worse than ever ..imma try some tricks thank you 😊🤦🏾♀️
* I am 21
Thankyou so much for making these videos, I've been really struggling with my skin picking recently and watching your channel has really helped xx
makeup by micala Thank you so much for your kind words Micala ☺️ I’m looking forward to posting more. Thanks again for your support 💗
I have always been obsessed with watching pimple popping videos as well as obsessively pick at any tiny imperfection on my body. I don't get acne often but I will scan my entire body several times a day trying to find something to pick at. When I'm watching the videos I feel stressed and don't really want to watch them but can't stop. It's gotten worse recently. I've been going thru a ptsd relapse. Today my face, neck, scalp and shoulders have several open sores. Ugh. It feels emotionally good when I'm doing it but physically hurts and still can't stop.
Any sort of bump or anything on my skin that isnt smooth I have to fix especially on my arms and legs.
It started with my scalp when I was going and never stopped. Anxiety makes it so much worse but boredom does too. I try to keep clothing over the areas to help. My mom has this too. I'm not a doctor and I'm not diagnosed but this is what I struggle with.
lately i've been trying to avoid spending a lot of time looking in the mirror just so i dont spot any "imperfections" i could pick at, however since i stopped picking at my face i've noticed just how often i find myself absentmindedly picking at ingrown hairs on my legs and bikini area whenever i go to the bathroom. i dont even realize i'm doing it, it just sort of happens.
i guess i've never really stopped picking for longer than a couple of days, i just do it in more hidden areas because in my head that's not "as bad". in reality, sometimes it gets even worse because if its a hidden area i dont have to hold back, since no one's going to see the damage.
Omg I agree with so many of these things. I’m 12 and during this holiday I have been picking but then I stopped because I’m going back to school tomorrow. It was the same during quarantine. I want to tell my mum that I think I have dermo but I don’t know how because she just thinks that it’s acne even though I am causing scars and bleeding and then re-picking the scars. I use makeup to try and get rid of it and acne cream but it does nothing. Do you have any tips to telling my mum that I think I have dermo (because it would be really helpful).
I’m turning 18 soon but I realized that I have had it since I was 10 and I used to always blame my eczema and I would think that it’s because I already have a skin condition. I would use the eczema steroid creams to areas whenever they get severe so I don’t have too many scars but I have a very bad addiction to scratching my scalp the most and my neck. Even when I’m sleeping I pick at my scalp so hard I wake up with skin pieces in my nails. I never knew this was a whole disorder, I don’t know how my parents are going to take it either I’m sos scared to tell them.
I've been picking for a long time, only in these past 6-7 years have I noticed it become a major issue, with the exception of when I had eczema.
I believe it may have started as a coping mechanism from past trauma and just got extremely out of my control. for a while I thought I would only pick because of stress but I find that's not the case anymore.
it didn't really affect my appearance at first, since I would mostly keep to picking the skin on my fingers... and them I got acne, and the target moved to my face.
I have talked to doctors, my psychiatrist and anyone else who I thought might be able to help but nothing I tried helped.
at this point my lips are constantly raw and bleeding and the corners of my mouth are always in pain.
even when I try to let it heal it doesn't last long cuz I can barely open my mouth to eat anything without the wounds tearing open again and making me pick at it.
my scalp is also sore and scabby because of my picking and I'm starting to think I have psoriasis as well
I started picking at the age of 3. I am now 62.
Hey Michal 👋🏽 I’m sorry to hear that. What has this time shown you in terms of your picking?
I also have dermatilomania I would like to tell you guys just use a anti-anxiety pill clonazepam. 5 mg u will be alright I have found this... Nobody tell u this
I started picking in 3rd grade.... but like dang 3 years old
I've picked my skin on and off since around the age of 10/11 I think. I'm 35 now. When I say on and off it's on when I have things on my mind or I'm stressed or bored. I've sometimes been stuck in front of the mirror for long periods of time, but I don't do it to the extent that I have large wounds, but I look like a used dart board at times. Sometimes I'm conscious of how it looks in public but at the same time I'm not the type to care about what people think (depending on who it is). If I have something like an interview coming up I try to stop but always seem to find something on my face to "get rid of" but the next day or few hours it looks worse and I know that people probably wouldn't have notified before. I went to see a GP about it once and he said it's just a habit and nothing needed to be done about it. I don't know if it's a habit or not because when I'm happy I don't do it. I do it in secret as I've always been told off for doing it, I also try and do it in places people don't tend to see like my head and backs of my arms. I can relate to a lot of things you said in the video. It's like being in a trance and I'm completely relaxed. At the moment though I think lockdown has made it worse and I've also had a few other issues recently too. If I do have Derma then I'd consider it mild, but atm I'm a little concerned about a particular spot on my head that may become infected and also I've mistaken a vein for a spot and their was quite a lot of blood so I have to try and remember to avoid it. Thanks for the video, it seems that other videos don't really hit the nail on the head like yours does.
Edit: I also remember when I was a kid I briefly went through a phase of pulling my hair out, bit it didn't last long. I can't remember if I did that before I started skin picking 🤔
I literally sit here watching this as I’m picking the skin on my toes. Thinking I might have a problem.
Fuck I have this, it’s been something I’ve been conscious of for a long time and I mainly focus on my hands and scalp but if there’s any other flaws I notice I’ll pick there too. I’ve been trying so hard to stop picking my hands lately but I break so often that I don’t know what to do 😅
EXACTLY
Karolína Svobodová Thank you got watching Karolína 💗
I started at 11 I am now 13 and I’ve been trying to take care of it as much I can it’s a rlly bad struggle.
I’m not sure why, I’m sure I have dermatillomania and it’s very annoying because I get mad when my skin looks bad...but also when I notice something that I want to pick and I don’t my anger levels fly up and I’m much more touchy. It’s almost like withdrawals. Do you have any advice on that??
I’m 12 (yes I can have TH-cam lol) and I’ve had it since 9
adhd girl I realized I had it when I was twelve and now I’m 16 😂
I’m sorry to hear that but thank you for watching this video. Have you been able to discuss it with a family member or friend?💗
Yep! I started making dermatillomania content when I realised I had it for over half my life 😅🙃
@@RedFishToday haahhaha same oh my
Aweee im 12 as well I've had eczema until 7 when i moved to a new state but I thought that i still had it... until i realized it was dermatillomania. I have huge scars on my arms, legs, feet, hands, fingers, and i recently started on my face i hate it so much it looks like acne!!! I often find myself skipping school and hating going to stores i just want it to go away ToT
Interesting that people generally start like teens early 20s, I remember doing this when I was like 4 or 5
Thought it went away in secondary school but looking back, we had these chairs and the legs had this rubbery stuff on it and I'd just pick it all off and have to like subtley scrape it off the floor n bin it 🤣
Welp I self harm and pick my skin 🙂
But honestly, as much as I want to completely get rid of self harm because I know it's wrong and painful and leaves big scars, I am just soooo emotionally attached to skin picking, I could never stop. I can't imagine a life where I don't touch my skin and pick on it everyday. I just can't. I need it, I have to do it.
If you can’t stop picking your skin then put a bandage over the scab or wound keep it in the cut for 5 days then you will not pick your skin anymore
Thanks for your comment Ryan but unfortunately for many - including myself - it’s not as easy as that because it’s a mental condition. Meaning, we’ll sabotage the wound’s healing and/or create new wounds whilst old ones heal.
I’ve had this since five or six.
i will skin pick for hours on end, sometimes ending in blood baths 😩
Maybe you should see a therapist to see if you have OCD!
@@gracecates693 i literally questioned that as i wrote it out haha, i definitely wanna find out
I've created a Discord community to stop picking my skin for one month. If you are interested feel free to check the group out😌 discord.gg/xS5UN3M4
My eleven year old did this
theres actual word
❤️❤️❤️
Madeleine Monteiro 😘❤️