Can’t stop picking at skin, need urgent help

[Anonymous]

Long-time dermatillomania sufferer here, age 52. It was in remission for a long while (at least a decade), but I’ve been picking badly for the past 6 months or so. I have sores all along my scalp by my hairline. I haven’t yet been able to stop, but I’ve gone 5 days at one point.

I bought fidget toys, I wear a hat when I can, and I wear gloves. But clearly I haven’t gotten to the best point yet. I used tweezers the other night, which is something I try to avoid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I get it, OP. I’m in recovery from trichiotillomania. For me, tight fitting hats were very helpful. I needed a barrier every time I reached up, and it also soothed the itchiness of needing to pull.

I do this. It is terrible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks everyone- I’m on a waiting list for a therapist right now but I think I need to find someone sooner. It’s gotten SO much worse over the past few years and I’m worried I’m going to have permanent scars from it. If you’ve been able to stop, please let me know how!!

Call your GYN or even derm.

[Anonymous]

I never knew there were so many like me.

[Anonymous]

You should look into taking NAC (a supplement you can buy OTC). It’s supposed to really help. Sounds crazy, I know, but I have heard it’s effective and started taking it for cuticle picking.

[Anonymous]

I do it too. I also am 100% addicted in a bit healthy way to YouTube videos of picking and popping. Already on Lexapro.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do it too. I also am 100% addicted in a bit healthy way to YouTube videos of picking and popping. Already on Lexapro.

. Should say NOT healthy

[Anonymous]

Liquid bandage on unbroken skin can help if you need to pick or even some school glue left to dry. My thumbs are so torn up right now I can barely bend them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You should look into taking NAC (a supplement you can buy OTC). It’s supposed to really help. Sounds crazy, I know, but I have heard it’s effective and started taking it for cuticle picking.

Here’s a citation about its effectiveness:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27007062/

[Anonymous]

In developed skin picking in my early 40s following surgical menopause and the closing of my (unfulfilled) motherhood window. At first it was my buttocks skin that I picked like crazy for a couple of years, then finally stopped. For a couple of years I was able to abstain but the last year with the pandemic and my heightened anxiety about how the election would turn out I started picking again and now it’s at my scalp.

I’m going to look into the NAC.

I also recommend to others the excellent book The Body Keeps the Score. It was recommended to me a few years ago but I have procrastinated reading it because of the triggering potential. I’m reading it now and it is very good. I understand that not everyone who develops these anxiety behaviors has trauma, but many of us do.

Thanks for this thread which made me feel much less alone.

[Anonymous]

OP back- wow thank you everyone for all the suggestions! I need to try the NAC. I tried tracking days I went without picking and couldn’t go a single day for a whole month and gave up. I realized last night when I wear a pony tail, my biggest spot is noticeable. I’ve been using the Pick Fix oil from Carter and Jane and it’s nice but doesn’t stop me. I’ll check out the book rec above. Thanks all, so glad I’m not the only one

[Anonymous]

I allow myself to pick in a couple hidden spots on my head. This allows me to control doing it everywhere. I also recommend the dermatologist for medicine to deal with any actual scalp issues. I had a lot of issues toward the front of my head, was picking, losing hair, it was a mess. Now that I don’t have the issues, I don’t pick as much. I will admit here that I don’t use the shampoo on a couple spots so I can continue to pick at them…

Good luck! It is hard to control.