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any miners with skin picking/excoriation disorder/dermiotilliomania? Anonymous 12858

>how long have you had it?
>where/what do you pick?
>how does it make you feel?
>any coping mechanisms/tips?

Anonymous 12860

>how long have you had it?
It’s been a habit since I was a kid and I’ve mostly outgrown it besides me picking at my cuticles/skin around the nail or the occasional scab when I’m anxious
>where/what do you pick?
Growing up I had eczema and I remember always picking and peeling off large layers of skin from my knees, inner elbows and especially the skin behind my ears. It was weird because they never bled or felt sore but there was always some kind of liquid-y substance left after
>how does it make you feel?
The picking itself was a self soothing technique I guess, but it made me extremely insecure and growing up with eczema was very difficult to say the least
>any coping mechanisms/tips?
I apply many layers of nail polish until it’s thick enough to peel off - just make sure it’s completely dry (I wait an hour) between coats otherwise it won’t peel. I don’t like peeling base coats because it tends to come off too easily and rids the joy of picking it but that could possibly work for someone else. I also find wearing rings being able to twist and play with them on my finger, anything to keep my hands busy. It’s mostly not a problem for my anymore though since my eczema break outs are under control after fixing my diet/finding products that work for me.

Anonymous 12945

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>how long have you had it?
i have had it since i could remember

>where/what do you pick?

it all started with my nails, the skin surrounding my nails, cuticles, scabs, scalp, and lip skin. When I entered puberty, I started picking on my face or any other bump that would appear on my body. I also started getting a lot of pimples on my head and I would just repeatedly pick at a pimple before it would heal completely. I am pretty sure if i shaved my head, it would be scarred. I also recently started picking my shoulders a bit, but its all getting better and I dont do it as much as I used to (i would still get episodes though)

>how does it make you feel?

the fixation that comes with it honestly feels good, but afterwards i would feel this heavy feeling of uglyness. When I was little, I would pick at my nails untill they were stubs, and it felt nice because I was so fixated on it, and it just felt good to do it. I welcomed any pain because I associated the pain with the problem going away like it was a cost or something. Even if I bled, I kept going. I would be left with jaggedy nails, and I would feel regretful and ugly afterwards. It was even worse with my lips, because constantly feeling roughness or skin hanging out made me want to "smooth it out". Thats really what I was doing most of the time, just smoothing my imperfections out. I think puberty was the absolute worst, I felt so disgusting and when I tried to not pick my face, I would go back to my nails and scalp and I couldn't stop… I think the worst thing that has happened though was when my face was starting to get an infection, my face was always warm and red. The antibiotics really helped. Thank God though that this was during a time that I was recovering from my habits, so my face is healing very nicely :)
and now for the past 2 years I have been getting way better through recognizing my own patterns, and I just started going to therapy which has been helping too. I can actually let my nails grow out and they are now so long and strong!! It makes me so happy that nails look prettier than before.

>any coping mechanisms/tips?

I have recovered very nicely, for someone who has been doing this for years. I hope that this can help any other miners going through what I am going through :3

>I avoid any large mirrors or those zoom mirrors, I set a time limit (a minute) for how long I stare closely at my face.

>if I have been feeling my any part of my body up the whole day, I would avoid looking in the mirror and try to fixate on something more physical/ tactile (knitting, drawing, gaming, etc)

>hobbies!! as listed above, some hobbies can distract your hands which really helps. I recommend taking up a hobby that you really like and when you are about to have an episode or even after one, to go back to that hobby. doing that helped me to slowly start leaning towards my hobbies than picking.


>after care. you are going to pick so make sure that you at least have clean hands and tools, and that you clean your face afterwards and use something like Neosporin.


>When it comes to nails, cutting/filing them short really helps. Developing that habit has helped me ignore my fingers and now i can grow them out :D


>taking pictures of picked area, and looking at the progress you made. It sort of helps you face yourself and see how worse/better you have gotten


>moisturize/care routine make sure to at least boost your picked areas by developing this habit, and it makes you feel pretty too!


>gloves. this personally helped me alot, I also have carpophobia and sensory issues and gloves just make me feel safe and protected. i also like the way they feel :D


>face masks and hydrocolloid patches are SUPER helpful!! it feels like something is "healing" you and esp with the patches, seeing all the gunk get sucked out makes it super satisfying and it feels like its melting it off. I remember buying like 4 packs of patches in a month when i first started using them lol i really recommend them!


I know I wrote a lot, but I hope it will help other miners who went/is going through the same thing I am still trying to recover from. Its really hard and slow progress helps, and I think hearing someone else go through the same things I did makes me feel like I am not alone or disgusting. I hope everyone will heal from this and please, dont give up!! You are the only you out there, root for yourself and take care of yourself, grit your teeth!! Its get tough but its worth it!! luv yourselves, s i wish you all well (≧◡≦)

Anonymous 12971

>>12858
>how long have you had it?
I've been pulling out my hair since age 7, picking at my skin since age 10ish. I'm in my mid 20s now.
>where/what do you pick?
face, scalp, sometimes back, chest, fingertips, or toes. I basically pick on blemishes such as acne, hangnails, calluses. Mostly harmless. I pick on pimples until they start to bleed a little bit, though.
>how does it make you feel?
Idk, kinda gross if I do it too much, but kinda satisfying in moderation?
>any coping mechanisms/tips?
Not really lol. If you aren't doing to the point where you're causing serious injury, I think it's no big deal. Stressing over it probably will just make you do it more lol. The important thing is to keep your hands and fingernails nails clean to avoid infections. I do think it also helps to do what you can to keep your skin clear, especially if you pick on acne like I do.

Anonymous 13017

>>12858
>how long have you had it?
Can't remember specifically, but since childhood
>where/what do you pick?
Mostly the sides of nails and skin on the sides of nails. I get extremely sensitive and uncomfortable over having anything but very short and rounded nails for some reason, if they are edgy in any way it bothers me a lot.
I have keratosis pilaris where some hair on my legs is spiraled into a tiny bump and sometimes I also get urges to unravel them (which damages the surrounding skin a bit).
Rarely I'll randomly bite inside my mouth for similar reasons but this is much easier to control.
>how does it make you feel?
It helps destress and feels satisfying when I do it, but I also feel anxious/ashamed because it leaves damage. Sometimes my hands or feet feel a bit sore because I picked off too much of my nails, or I have some small scars on my legs, and I feel bad about the way it looks.
>any coping mechanisms/tips?
Since I mostly do it (somewhat unconsciously) when stressed, I guess general stress management stuff helps. I try to not look too closely at my legs now because the bumps aren't that noticeable at a distance. Still struggling with the nails thing because I don't like to keep my hands or feet covered and I can feel it when my nails get long, which makes me feel compelled to cut (too much of) them.

Anonymous 13270

25512073_180305218…

>where/what do you pick?
I used to pick the soles of my feet and any callused areas on my fingers whenever I watched TV. I guess, I just can't sit still for whatever reason.

>any coping mechanisms/tips?

I bought one of these to keep my hands busy. It's really firm and doesn't stick like your usual children's play dough does. When my hands start to wander, I just a grab a piece of this and start kneading and pulling it apart to keep them distracted. It doesn't solve the actual problem, but at least, I don't have to walk around with damaged feet anymore.

Anonymous 13280

>how long have you had it?
Since about sixth grade. I saw my mum doing it, and thought, that looks fun.

>where/what do you pick?

Mostly face because I only pick at pimples, but I'll occasionally do my shoulders.

>how does it make you feel?

Fulfilled. Love watching the blackheads and pimples pop out of my skin.

>any coping mechanisms/tips?

Not really. I removed myself from my parent's house and found my anxiety and depression went from a nine to a two. So just knowing that when you're able to remove yourself from the horrific situation, that literally everything in your life will get better.

Anonymous 13287

>how long have you had it?

since i first started getting acne, probably middle school. It wasnt so bad then, it's like having a cigarette and thinking 'this isnt so bad' and then ten years later you have terminal lung cancer, kind of thing.

>where/what do you pick?


i will pick at any bump or imperfection. my favorite is clogged pores, seeings the gunk get pushed out. i pick at acne, and i will pick at my skin until there's more acne everywhere for me to pick at. back, legs, arms, chest, face, neck, anything. ive picked at scabs, blackheads, hair, earring holes, pores on the inside of my fucking nostril, nowhere is safe.

>how does it make you feel?


it makes me feel like im removing impurity from my body. its like a cleansing thing. if i find i have pus inside me somehwere, it has to get out. yes i have OCD. Afterwards, however, i look at my red, bleeding, scabbed skin in the mirror and feel super depressed.

>any coping mechanisms/tips?


I dont know, i thought it would get better once i stopped getting acne but whenever my skin starts to clear i pick at it out of frustration until it breaks out again. For someone with my level of issue, i'd recommend medication. I took wellbutrin for a bit and i think that really seemed to help, it may have something to do with focus. i find if i can be truly busy and focused on something else, i wont pick. but then i get giddy because, ooh, fresh skin i havent picked at yet :) i just accepted it, kind of. the guilt is part of the fuel, so dont beat yourself up over it. it starts to become the punishment and the reward. i recommend not even doing skin care, tbh, its just part of the hyperfixation. use basic soap, water, and lotion. keep yourself busy and MINIMIZE time when you're alone and have your hands free. so no tv binging, social media voids, or anything like that. and i find i do it more when i'm procrastinating, overwhelmed, and out of control, so i try to be proactive and catch up on work before it catches up to me. oh, and get a therapist.

Anonymous 14448

>>12858
hey miners i just relapsed and started picking at my lips again. Any advice for me to stop and heal my lips?

Anonymous 14451

>how long have you had it?
Maybe a decade (I’m 27)
>where/what do you pick?
Mostly the dry skin on my thumbs, but also closed comedones, raised hair follicles, ingrown hairs, anything pickable really
>how does it make you feel?
Seeing my thumbs torn up makes me feel repulsive. I pick when I’m anxious or stressed out and I also believe it’s in some way correlated to Internet addiction. I pick when I can’t be doomscrolling, because my fingers need some other autopilot activity to do.
>any coping mechanisms/tips?
I bandage my thumbs if it’s really bad. Other than that nothing easily doable. Basically just “stop being stressed/anxious” and wean yourself off phone dependency, which you probably won’t do if you’re deep enough into the innernet that you’re browsing an imageboard


>>14448
Avoid lip products with menthol, they’ll dry your skin out more. Vaseline is actually a very good lip balm. Good luck anon

Anonymous 14452

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this problem is fake. if it bothers you, sit in silence for a minute and think about why you're doing it, then stop doing it. it's a self-inflicted symptom of stress or other issues in your life, it's not an illness.

just so I'm not being 100% bitch I do have practical advice: if you have acne picking problems hydrocolloid stickers help a lot. nothing with "microneedles" or heavy medication or expensive instagram star stickers, just the plainest stickers you can get in a pack.
pic related, they're fine. plus, whether you extract the zit or not (sometimes you have to! not out of compulsion) this helps it heal faster.

also some old lady advice: limit unseemly behaviors to the washroom. don't pick your teeth or skin or nails or polish or bellybutton lint or toe jam in your regular living spaces and especially not in public. it's disgusting. it's part of growing up to learn not to do that shit.

Anonymous 14453

>>14452
> if it bothers you, sit in silence for a minute and think about why you're doing it, then stop doing it.
Thank you anon. By following this advice I totally eliminated my ingrained subconscious impulse to rip flesh off my body in just seconds

Anonymous 14454

havent been diagnosed with any specifically skin-picking disorders but i have OCD
>how long have you had it?
Since middle school
>where/what do you pick?
Mainly my face but also my back and chest, anywhere that can get zits.
>how does it make you feel?
really bad, when i pick at my face it only makes the acne spread and multiply and it makes my face hurt.
>any coping mechanisms/tips?
whenever i can i have a fidget in my hand that i can play with whenever im tempted to pick. been working so far and my picking has decreased.

Anonymous 14455

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>>14452
thanks for contributing absolutely nothing to the conversation, the hydrocolloid patches are basic knowledge and no one wants to hear your trad bitching.

Anonymous 14457

>>14453
literally it would help you. what do you think therapy is? you're probably under stress that's fueling your neurotic picking. why don't you look for the real problem instead of picking.

>>14455
you think I'm being mean but you need to open your eyes.

everyone doing this is like a bird in a cage pulling its feathers out. the bird shouldn't be worried about pulling feathers, it should be worried about leaving the cage.

I know you're having a nice wallow together to feel less alone, but I had actual advice.

Anonymous 14459

>>14457
But I am sorry for being a bitch. Obviously I’m triggered or something.
It’s not your fault you’re doing something that’s hurting you but it pisses me off to see a bunch of girls who seem to have no fight left in them join the misery circlejerk, it makes me wanna scream.

Anonymous 14460

>>14451
thank you! i went out and bought some earlier, and it feels so much nicer since i don't feel any bumps/ridges on my lips anymore

Anonymous 14461

>>14452
>this problem is fake. if it bothers you, sit in silence for a minute and think about why you're doing it, then stop doing it. it's a self-inflicted symptom of stress or other issues in your life, it's not an illness.
It's not, it's a common symptom of ADHD in women. You basically said "just think yourself better!". Thank you for bestowing such great knowledge that no one else in this thread would have thought to try…

Anonymous 14462

>>14459
scream all you want, just not here. this isn't a "misery circlejerk", we are literally giving each other tips and tricks for how to deal with mental disorders. indeed very triggered.

Anonymous 14672

>how long have you had it?
Ever since I started getting acne around age 12.
>where/what do you pick?
My face acne, very occasionally the acne on my neck and collarbone
>how does it make you feel?
Awful afterwards, and kind of retarded. But in the moment, extremely satisfied
>any coping mechanisms/tips?
Mostly what other anons said, personally I like to wear a simple necklace to mess with (not a retarded "stim" one just a normal one). I also found that cutting my nails helps even though it makes me feel less feminine. The fact that I have to wear a mask at work has been enabling me though. Also not looking at my skin has helped unfortunately a lot of my friends and family talk about my skin, whether or not it's breaking out or whatever. It's annoying

Anonymous 14725

>how long have you had it?
Since I was a very young child
>where/what do you pick?
Ingrown hairs, pimples, blackheads, or any kind of blemish/imperfection. I pick all over my body and face but I've cut down on face picking as it's obvious to others and ugly
>how does it make you feel?
It satisfies me in the moment then I feel disgusting cause I'm covered in red splotches and blood. I also get frustrated with myself as I tend to lose track of time and waste time on it. It's also quite painful
>any coping mechanisms/tips?
I still struggle with this habit but good skincare helped me stop picking at my face as it reduces the blemishes for me to pick at and helps heal what I still pick. I should really invest some time/money into skincare for my body too. Do any anons have any recommendations for treating body acne or ingrown hairs?
Also, do any of you also have autism or believe your condition is linked to autism? I'm not diagnosed with autism but I suspect slightly that I might have it, and skin picking is like a 'stim' for me maybe

Anonymous 14741

>how long have you had it?
since i was a small child, starting tearing myself apart in order to deal with the stress of my parents picking themselves and me apart emotionally.
>where/what do you pick?
i used to pick my nail beds and the skin around my fingers horribly. i developed bad acne in my twenties due to hormones and food intolerance, so now i pick those and make them 10x worse.
>how does it make you feel?
i can’t fucking stand it, it makes me feel idiotic and disgusting. i can’t stand feeling my acne on my face and have the urge to “smooth” it out by picking it off. it’s all self inflicted.
>any coping mechanisms/tips?
i plan on trying those stickers for the first time in a few days, but i’m not hopeful. i stopped picking my fingers with the bitter tasting solution stuff they sell. i had to train myself like a dog not to bite and pick. picking my face is my last real “bad” habit and i would do anything to stop.

Anonymous 14921

>how long have you had it?
I developed the habit after I suffered from some kind of compulsive lip licking thing- my lips and the skin around them would crack and bleed. I kicked the habit at about 7 or 8 and began biting my nails. Then I kicked that at about 10 and the picking started.

>where/what do you pick?

Scabs on my scalp, and I chew at the skin around my nails and the insides of my cheeks. Recently started chewing on my tongue too.

>how does it make you feel?

Awful and ugly. My mom used to tell me it made me look ugly and dirty and that only made it worse. While I am doing it I don't notice until after the fact or I hurt myself badly enough. Usually my fingers get swollen and infected and it makes me even more upset. I do it when I am focused, but it gets even worse when I am upset.

>any coping mechanisms/tips?

Spraying that bitter apple anti cat spray stuff on my nails works for a while. Keeping my hair clean and using non-building up hair products prevents scalp acne from forming so I have nothing to pick at. Other than that I have realized that I will always replace one habit with another, and trying to kick the finger biting is what I believe triggered my cheek and tongue chewing, so I eased up on trying to quit the finger biting. I figure it's better than having sores in my mouth all the time.

Anonymous 14947

>>12858
I finally got over picking the skin on my fingers about January of last year. Although lately, I have done it a little bit as a result of having to correct hanging skin from picking my fingernails. I have short nails at all times. I just can't stand having long nails. If I could finally stop tearing my fingernails, I think I would be cured. Maybe I should use a nailclipper.

Anonymous 14955

>>14947
I highly suggest those cute glass nail files, you can find them pretty cheap and they last forever and in my experience they stay shorter longer

Anonymous 14959

>how long have you had it?
Almost ten years at this point. It started when I was about eleven. My mom mentioned that I had a blackhead on my nose and tried to squeeze it. She couldn't get it out, but I went into the bathroom and used a rubber tooth pick to get it out myself. A year later, I first leaned into the mirror to look at the skin on my chest and then I spent an hour or two picking at my chest. By the end of it, my chest had a bunch of sores and it throbbed and ached. I think that was the last time I ever had un-picked skin.
>where/what do you pick?
Originally, primarily my face (mostly my nose, forehead, and above my upper lip), but over time I switched to primarily my chest/breasts/upper back. Now I've started picking at my upper arms and forearms. Feelsbad.
>how does it make you feel?
When I find actual acne and express it, it's definitely an instant release of dopamine. Almost a rush. But that's only with actual acne, most of the time It's not actual acne I'm picking at, my dumb monkey brain goes into overdrive and I just pick at whatever remotely resembles acne or a spot or something. It's usually just skin, so it's typically not too rewarding, but at this point it's a force of habit.
>any coping mechanisms/tips?
Distract yourself. Stay away from the place you usually always pick at. For me, it's my bathroom mirror. A rule I follow is that I'm not allowed to lean over the sink. Once I lean over that sink to get a closer look at myself, I can't resist. Also, set a timer on your phone when you are where you usually pick. So if I have to use the restroom, I'll set a timer for 3-5 minutes. Stay away from mirrors, especially stay away from magnified mirrors. Chuck out all thinks you use to pick. If you want to pluck your brows or something, set a timer. Try your best to be as mindful and in the moment as you possibly can. Don't try to push away the urge to pick, instead acknowledge that it is something that you want to do, but that it is not beneficial for you and tell yourself to put it off for five minutes. When those five minutes are up, do another five. And another five. And another, until the urge has subsided or mostly subsided.
I'm in the same boat as you, anons. And I know how embarrassing it can be. Some days I don't think it's even worth it to try. I relapse a lot. But in my experience, I feel like it's just a force of habit and because it's been like ten years, it's going to be hard to quit. But I am tired of hurting myself, and I am tired of the embarrassment. We can do it, anons.

Anonymous 14961

I didn't know skin-picking was an indicator of stress because I guess for me it's always been a compulsion, I pick my nailbeds and thumbskin constantly and have for years. Same with my lips, but I think these are normal places for picking? For me is it just a bad physical habit?

Anonymous 15043

I've been doing the following to stop picking my face

>acid exfoliation every day to get ride of perfections

>only use a hand mirror with a handle so I hold it further away and see less imperfections
>using lots and lots of acne patches for the smallest thing
>keeping skin moisturized so harder to pick

Basically, the more I care for my skin, the hard it is physically to pick but also the more healing happens.

Anonymous 15077

I've been chewing my lips ever since I was 13. I'm 26 now.

I don't feel any particular way, I do it usually because I feel stressed and anxious. My lips look so ugly now.

Anonymous 15306

I’m finding that using exfoliating acids on my skin daily is helping a lot as they get rid of many of the “imperfections”. When there is one, I put an acne patch on asap so I won’t feel or see it anymore.



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