Do you pick on your skin; Let's keep the skin intact.
Skin picking can potentially result from stress or anxiety. According to Mental Health America (2024), skin picking, formally known as Dermatillomania, starts either during adolescence or after the onset of puberty around ages 13-15. This disorder affects between 1.4 and 5.4% of American adults, tending to be more common in women than men. People with this disorder pick on their healthy skin, pimples/calluses, open wounds, blisters, scabs, among other types of lesions. It is a chronic condition and they often use their nail, pins, or tweezers to do said picking. Such a disorder can cause injuries, skin infections and serious scarring.
Effective treatment for skin picking is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The therapist uses a technique called habit reversal training. This therapy process works if the patient can be mindful of his/her picking habit and identify the triggers. Medications such as SSRIs can be used to treat this condition, but you will need to talk to your psychiatrist.
Sources: (2024), Excoriation Disorder (Skin Picking or Dermatillomania). Mental Health America. mhanational.org/conditions/excoriation-disorder-skin-picking-or-dermatillomania
