Dermatillomania

Lately I've been worried more and more about my skin picking and I've begun to wonder if it's just a bad habit or if it's something more, like dermatillomania. The severity of the damage goes up and down- for a few weeks I won't have much acne or many scars/ scabs, so I will have less to pick at. Then, inevitably, I'll get a few spots that pop up and it's right back to picking.

I'm 16. I've picked like this ever since I can remember. There are pictures of me with a scab covered face at age 2. I've always picked, no matter what. I know I'll bleed. Im practically an expert at stopping bleeding with just pressure from my fingers. My clothes and blankets used to have little blood spots all over them because I'd constantly pick.

Then acne came and everything got worse. I don't have it too bad but I just can't stop picking at it. Once I see a spot I have to get everything out of it. I know it's bad for me and I will leave scars but that doesn't seem to matter. Right now it's really bad. I have crap all over my face, my chest, my neck, and my back. I have a lot of scars. There's actually one really bad scab that I gouged out on my leg, just straight from the pore and nothing else, about the size of a dime. I've also used tweezers and nail clippers to get stuff out of pores.

I got a small container of silly putty for Christmas and I have to take it everywhere. I've noticed myself using it every minute that I don't have something for my hands to do because I know I'll pick otherwise. Still, it doesn't stop me when I look at myself in the mirror after a shower or when I wash my hands or brush my teeth. I can't stop. I have to do it. Even mid pick I'm telling myself I have to stop or I'll make it worse but i don't stop.

I'm scared that this might be dermatillomania. I'm trying to find a way to bring it up to my parents, given that it's a really bizarre and unheard of disorder and since I've naturally done it all my life, we've just treated it like a bad habit. I just don't want to say anything and go to all the trouble to find out it's nothing and I'm just being overly worried.

I really hate this. I hate that I do this. I hate how I look sometimes because of this. I used to think I was the only one. I hate that I can't go a day, or even a few hours, without picking.

Anyone have any help?

I don't really have much to say, but I just wanted to let you know that you are, indeed, not alone. I've been having compulsive skin-picking problems myself for a couple of years now and now I have all these kinds of hideous scars. I honestly regret ever picking in the first place, but now I can't stop.

I've heard before that sometimes people can try finding different distractions or finding other things to pick at (like putting glue on your fingers then peeling it off or something?). I dunno, someone made a post about dermatillomania somewhere on the internet before and she posted a lot of good alternative behaviors. Unfortunately, though, I'm not sure if we're allowed to link to other websites on here.

You are not alone with this! I myself had a lot of acne in the past and still have it but not on my face anymore. My chest is full of scars and I pick on them all the time. I also open old wounds.

Try to wash your hands before picking please! Infections are not pretty

I am trying to keep myself busy, when I'm bored and want to pick I try to busy myself with for example starting my computer and typing some nonsense. It's not an ideal solution and I'm searching for sth better - I'll keep you updated on my process.

Something that might help is finding something to fiddle with that is not your body. Sometimes I find objects that have something I can peel off. Peeling off is very pleasing for me personally-

What bothers me a lot is that my skin picking keeps me from doing other, more important things.