Am I the only one who picks my scalp?

Nervous. And new to this community. I have been struggling since I was a kid, but only now realizing (in my adult life) that it is a issue that is hurting myself overall life! Anyway thanks for reading and I am excited!

Glad I found you all. I've been picking for too many years to count. I pick at my knee without even knowing that I am doing it. It has so many scars and is so embarrassing. I do it constantly. I pick until I bleed. My family yells at me and tells me to stop. I can't st8. It is my stress relief

Hi all,

I just found this place, and I'm grateful to have found a community of people who might understand.

I've been dealing with this for over 20 years, and I am in the midst of what is probably one of the very worst bouts I've ever experienced.

I have a TON of information related to this - trauma history, treatments I've tried, medical appointments, etc - and it's far, far too much to go into here. And even though I've learned a lot over the years, I still haven't managed to get this under control.

I found this site through a Google search for information on a skin condition I'm experiencing; it was an archived forum thread on the old site titled "Stretchy white plugs". This is what I've been dealing with, and it's been impossible to solve. I've been to SO MANY dermatologists, but none have helped. In fact, because I was determined to be honest and transparent about my dermatillomania, I have been almost entirely dismissed by derms over the years, and I deeply regret ever mentioning having an excoriation disorder because none of them will listen to me now. I have sat in an examination room with derms in TEARS, begging for help, and each one of them has essentially ignored the information I've provided and focused solely on the picking. I know it's a problem, but there's something else going on inside my skin and I can't seem to get any medical professionals to take me seriously.

So now, I think I am *DONE* with dermatologists, as it's become clear that I will find no help there. In the meantime, I have all but annihilated the skin on my face, and the amount of shame I carry related to this is too heavy to handle anymore. I can't leave my house without wearing a bandana to cover my forehead, and often a face mask to hide my chin, because it looks EXTREMELY alarming. And the pain & the itch is unbearable. My face hurts so, so much.

The thing is, I'm certain I can get the picking under control if I could just get the underlying skin problems sorted out, but I'm at a loss; I've tried so many things - topicals, oral medications, OTC remedies and ointments and gels and serums and lotions and salves and oils and astringents and and and and... 😞 I have spent hundreds upon hundreds of dollars over the years, and nothing has helped; in fact, much of it has made things worse.

I know stress and trauma are the primary triggers for this, and a little over a year ago I went through a terribly bad breakup, which caused an enormous amount of stress and triggered an explosion of plugs and cysts all over my face. And ever since then I've been attacking my skin, and I don't know if I can ever get it back to a healthy state ever again.

I've been in therapy, which was enormously helpful, but my financial situation has changed and I was no longer able to afford it. And I would have liked to be able to enroll in this program here, but there's no way I'm able to - I simply do not have the money.

And I dont have anywhere else to turn. I don't know what to do anymore.

I know this post was long and rambly, so if you made it to the end, I want to say thank you for listening. 🙏

Is anyone a lip Biter here?

It is my biggest fight with my mom and boyfriend. I am so lost and don't know what to do. I need to get it to stop but thinking that makes it worse. Has anyone had any luck curbing this habit? I went to a dermatologist that my mom sent me to today and i felt so awkward and ungrateful. I know they're trying to help. How do i think about it without thinking about it so much i pick? I need it to stop desperately

Warning for descriptions of picking. I've been dealing with this issue for at least 5 years and made it progressively worse over that time. It started with overcleaning my ears, usually with cotton swabs, to the point they would get irritated and crusty, then I pick at the crust. The skin inside the ears seems different from other skin, when the crust is picked off it oozes a clear odorless fluid that dries into crust. Often there's enough fluid that I feel the need to use more cotton swabs to dry the ears, and if I pick before bed I'll wake up with my ears still wet. Ultimately I don't know how to break the cycle because I feel I have minimal control over my urges and don't really understand the nature of the damage/what my skin is doing when it "weeps" like that. Don't know what kind of doctor to see for it or whether to prioritize treating the wounds or changing my habits.

Join us for a free online Q&A this Friday. Ask your questions during the live session, or send through your questions here (in the comments) or send us an email to support@skinpick.com and Laura will answer them during the session.

Date: Friday, 20th March
Time: 12pm EST
Join: www.skinpick.com/webinar

Can't make it? Don't worry, we will be recording the event- register for the event and we'll send you a copy of the recording.

Living with skin picking can sometimes feel very isolating. Many of us have spent years thinking we were the only one going through it.

For some of us, this community may be the first place we’ve ever spoken about our skin picking. Others may have only shared it with one or two trusted people.

Opening up, even in small ways, can help soften the shame and secrecy that often surrounds this experience.

If you feel comfortable, you’re welcome to share something here in the thread. It could be:

• something that has been difficult lately
• a small win you’ve had
• a strategy that helps you
• or simply how you’re doing today

And if you’d rather just read for now, that’s completely okay too.

We’re really glad you’re here.

I thought there was a support group at 9pm UK time tonight but nobody has started the meeting?

Has anyone else experienced a condition where you have hard fibrous tissue under the skin that causes severe itching beneath it? The fibrous tissue itself doesn't itch, in fact it has no feeling, but underneath blood pools and causes horrible itching.
This has been repeatedly diagnosed as eczema, but it seems to me like it's not typical eczema. I can't find any information describing eczema like this.
If anyone has experienced or heard of anything similar I would be greatly appreciative.

Curious if anyone has any success and ease with at home nail polish systems. I'm interested in one that (1) isn't toxic or harmful to my nails. (Did acrylics for years and it messed with my nails.) I found the Sistaco brand, but all the colors I've seen are shimmery and (2) I'm interested in matte. I don't have time or patience for the salon right now. (3) Would love to be able to do something conventiently at home. I have regular nail polish and do use it from time to time, (4) but would rather have something more durable so i dont have to reapply/maintain so frequently. (5) I am willing to invest in something if it will work.

🗓 March 10 | 11AM EST
What Are Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviours?
Understanding Skin Picking & Hair Pulling
Hosted by Meryl Da Costa Rohland, Counsellor and Chief Community Officer for SkinPick

🗓 March 20 | 12PM EST
Understanding Excoriation Disorder: Skin Picking Q&A
Hosted by Laura Santner, Clinical Social Worker and Therapist at SkinPick

Want to learn more, or register, visit www.skinpick.com/webinar

We’d love to see you there 🤍

Shame. Secrecy. Loneliness.

In this episode of SkinPick: In Their Own Words, Liz Atkin shares her lived experience of skin picking — including the parts that are often hidden or hard to talk about.

Register here: www.skinpick.com/webinar

Liz reflects on how art and drawing became a way to express what words couldn’t, and how creativity helped her stay connected to herself through difficult moments.

If you’ve ever struggled to explain what skin picking feels like, or felt alone in it, this conversation may resonate

We know schedules are tough, especially at the start of the year. That's why we record all of our events!

If you missed the last Q&A session with SkinPick therapist Laura Santner, then don't stress- we've got it right here for you: https://youtu.be/t0JLaEI9X6g

Some questions for this session include:
-What causes skin picking and why is this happening to me?
-Is skin picking a life-long struggle? Is it possible to ever stop?
-Are there any treatments that can help with scarring?
-What are common triggers? Why am I picking?
-Why being told "just stop picking" is not helpful
-Do you have examples of strategies?

If you have questions of your own, send them to us in the comments- others can also learn from it, or send us an email to support@skinpick.com

I'm on the session of competing responses. I'm still deciding which ones I want to give a try. Any thoughts or recommendations on which one's worked well for you before I give it a shot.

Thank you all for reading and considering responding.

This could just be a post for the SkinPick team but if anyone else wants to jump in: go ahead! :)
I'm a 42 y/o female with BFRB for as long as I remember and I just joined this program: as sort of a refresher course, since my previous coping strategies weren't sufficient anymore.
I also again learned that his behavoir can be hereditary and unfortunately I also see it in my kids, even though I really try to not give them the wrong example.
Our 4 y/o has been biting nails since forever and my 7 y/o is a skin picker.
I think I alread recognize their triggers (boredom / need for physical stimulation, release of building tenstion, stress, perfectionism) but I really want to give them the best tools at this age already, so they have the best foundation to deal with this: now and in the future. Any suggestions / reading materials / kind of child therapists I should already engage?
Thanks!

We’re hosting a live Skin Picking Q&A and wanted to make sure our community knows about it.

This is a space to ask questions about skin picking — whether they’re practical, emotional, or something you’ve been carrying quietly for a while. You’re welcome to submit questions in advance (include them here, or send an email to support@skinpick.com) or ask them live during the session.

Whether you’re seeking support or trying to better understand what you’re experiencing, this Q&A is about clarity, compassion, and shared understanding — not judgement or pressure.

🗓️9 January
⏰ 12pm EST
Host: SkinPick Therapist, Laura Santner, LCSW & PTR
🔗 Register (free): www.skinpick.com/webinar

I wonder where I learned this, to put myself down so harshly. Was it a single moment in time, or was it a habit built in layers? Was it observed in my family of origin? Which parent do I blame? 😅 Which unresolved ancestral habit am I manifesting and I'm now responsible for?

Although I am somewhat curious, I know the origin doesn't really matter, and it's a distraction if I'm being honest. All that matters is that I am faced with it now and I see it clearer than ever before.

I suppose I wouldn't be so aware of it if I didn't have small children. Through their eyes, I can see more clearly. And maybe that's part of the problem, that I never thought that the way that I talked to myself mattered, that I can only now see when there are other people involved, other people for whom I care deeply and do not wish to cause harm. Why didn't I ever see myself in the same light? Someone who was not deserving of such criticism. Ouch. Another thing to criticize myself for? There it is again! I see you! 😆

So here I am reflecting on this big hole in my emotional health, something I really really super missed in my development. Something that always truly deserved my full attention but only now seems painful enough to notice.

I know this is important work. It feels really hard. I can see the humor in it too. And that is helping.

Thank you for reading.

I last visited the community a few weeks ago and it seems like a definite uptick in engagement, which is great! It feels like the support groups for my timezone are not that frequent, so having another active touchpoint with fellow community members is useful and motivating.

Perhaps therapists and support group leaders, or even email drops, can help publicise the community in a non-intrusive manner to ensure the feed keeps its activity up. I can imagine that some members might miss the Community tab altogether in the first few weeks, and for some it might be a vital tool.