Picking problem

[Kari7171]

My husband has a problem with picking his arms. He says he gets ingrown hairs on them and then they form little pimples. So he pickes at it and then the area gets infected and then he picks it even more until it's bleeding. It's on his upper arms. He is worse in the summer because he is wearing short sleeves then and the skin is right in front of him then instead of covered up. He says he does it out of boredom, habit and stress sometimes. I used to pick my lips but not so much anymore. I use a special lipstick that stays on all day and so I don't mess with my lips until the end of the day when I get home from work. Then sometimes I will peel off the dry skin a little. I find that using a washcloth to scrub off the dry skin works well also. Carmex makes lips peel really bad it has salicylic acid in it which actually I use on my face to dry up pimples and it makes those spots peel. I don't know why they would put it in a lip product.

[sody-pop]

hey... i do the same thing, except i bite around my fingernails... my cuticles/knuckels are always bloody and sore... it is kind of a freakish thing to do, i know, but i find it somewhat satisfies my oral fixation (i used to smoke cigarettes and have my tounge pierced, now i bite my hands)... i'd say if it something that you feel you CAN'T stop you might be a tad OCD but if it's something you just DO, then why worry about it? yeah, sure, my hands look kind of gross to strangers sometimes, but I really don't care . GL.

[suzblondie27]

i don't think u have ocd...ocd is diagnosed in very extreme cases...very very extreme cases as in if it has an effect on your entire day!! do u not do things because u'd rather pick at your lips and hands? is it a life changing thing??? i'm a college student and i just finished learning about psychological disorders ocd being one of them....if its not a reoccuring thing constantly than i don't think u have anything to worry about...its a bad habit like smoking or biting your nails!

[stoptheitch]

i have been picking and scratching forever... i did get a medicine called vistaril (hydroxyzine) i have been taking it for 20 yrs, it stops my picking/gouging the majority of the time. although i am not perfect, when my back itches, i use a knife to scratch it... this causing large welts, then i use gold bond medicated powder, it stings for a minute - but then i stop scratching... and forget about it.

i have found a place online that talks about this problem in length... here is the link: good luck... i got teased my whole childhood... stop your kids, before they get made fun of... please.

[url]http://www.self-injury-abuse-trauma-directory.info/Completed%20Files/Skin-picking-Links_&_Books.htm[/url]

[NinjaCowboy]

I feel your pain...I am always picking at my face, going after pimples and bumps so small that no one would notice them. I know my skin would be practically clear if I didn't do this, but I can't seem to stop. So I always have scabs and red marks all over my face. I tear up my cuticles too.
This seems to be one of those common problems that no one really talks about, and it is related to OCD. Many people with that disorder where you pull your hair out (forgot what it's called...) also have problems with biting their nails & cuticles and picking at their skin.
I was surprised to find how much info there is about this on the web - just do a search on compulsive skin picking.