Uncover the Truth About Skin Picking Disorder Symptoms

Skin picking disorder, also known as excoriation disorder, is a condition characterized by compulsive skin picking. According to an estimation, 3–4 % of the world’s population suffers from skin picking. People suffering from this condition have to face skin damage, infections, and emotional distress. While habit reversal is the ultimate solution, some skin treatments and proper care can prevent scarring and permanent damage to the skin. 

In this article, we'll uncover the truth about skin picking disorder symptoms, shedding light on how to recognize and address this issue effectively.

What is Skin Picking Disorder?

It is a body-focused repetitive behavior where individuals face an overwhelming urge to pick at their skin. This compulsive action often results in damage such as scabs, open wounds, and scarring, especially on the face and arms. If you are wondering why can't I stop picking my skin, then know it is tied to your mental health. Despite repeated efforts to stop picking, individuals find it difficult to control their behavior. The urge may come from a perceived imperfection or simply the sensation of wanting to remove a scab or blemish. It is not merely a bad habit; it is a serious problem that requires proper care and intervention.

What Causes Skin Picking Disorder?

Skin-picking disorder is closely tied to other mental health issues like anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), body dysmorphic disorder, and depression. A situation that heightens anxiety or stress leads people to pick their skin as a way of self-soothing action.  Others may pick at their skin due to feelings of discomfort with perceived imperfections, especially in cases of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). Effective treatments often involve cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and habit reversal training (HRT). These treatments help individuals stop picking at their skin by addressing the underlying emotional triggers and retraining their responses.

Common Symptoms of Excoriation Disorder

One of the most apparent signs of skin picking disorder is the physical damage to one’s own skin. People with this condition repeatedly pick at their skin, leading to scarring, lesions, and open wounds that often take time to heal. Before the wound can heal, these people try to pick the scab as a result of their disorder. Over time, this behavior can result in significant damage to healthy skin, leaving behind visible skin irregularities. In severe cases, individuals use tools like tweezers or pins to intensify the picking behavior, further damaging their skin. Persistent picking may also lead to infections or skin that cannot heal properly due to constant irritation.

Here is an itemized list of symptoms of excoriation disorder:

  • Physical damage to the skin
  • Lesions
  • Wounds
  • Scars
  • Multiple scabs
  • Irritated skin
  • Petechia
  • Skin irregularities
  • Hair thinning
  • Broken hair
  • Compulsive skin picking
  • Skin biting

Emotional and Behavioral Symptoms

While the physical symptoms may be apparent, the statistical manual of mental disorders states there can also be emotional and behavioral causes of skin picking disorders. 

  • Compulsive Urge: People with dermatillomania often feel an overwhelming and irresistible urge to pick at their skin, even when they know it may cause harm.
  • Distress and Guilt: After a picking episode, people frequently experience feelings of guilt, shame, or distress, leading to a negative self-image. These emotions often exacerbate the disorder, creating a cycle where emotional distress triggers further picking behavior.
  • Avoiding Social Situations: Many individuals with skin excoriation disorder may avoid social interactions or wear concealing clothing to hide the visible marks caused by their picking. This avoidance often leads to isolation and can contribute to mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. People with dermatillomania often feel ashamed or fear that others will judge their skin, further driving them to pick.
  • Failed Attempts to Stop: One of the hallmark signs of skin picking disorder is the inability to stop picking at the skin, even after multiple attempts. People with this condition often feel frustrated and helpless as their repeated efforts to reduce or stop their behavior fail.

How to Treat and Manage Skin Picking Disorder

Managing skin picking conditions includes a combination of behavioral approaches, drugs, and self-care strategies. People with this illness may have an impulse to pick at their skin, which can cause injury and emotional discomfort. Treatment approaches aim to minimize the behavior, repair the skin, and address any underlying mental health issues. We'll go over important therapy techniques below, including self-care and behavioral interventions.

Behavioral Therapy

Behavior management through psychological techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy and habit reversal therapy are critical in managing impulse control disorders. These approaches are designed to replace the skin-picking behavior with healthier alternatives. Here are some behavioral therapy approaches that can make you stop picking at your skin. 

  • Use fidget toys: Fidget toys provide an outlet for restless hands, helping to reduce the urge to scratch or pick at the skin
  • Wearing gloves: Gloves can act as a physical barrier, preventing easy access to affected areas, which may reduce the damage to your skin caused by compulsive picking.
  • Habit Reversal Therapy: HRT teaches patients how to stop picking scabs and replace their skin-picking behavior with healthier habits, such as tapping fingers or squeezing stress balls, helping to avoid picking at healthy skin.

Medicine

Medications can be effective, particularly for those whose skin-picking behaviors are linked to underlying mental health conditions like anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), or depression.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs): These work by altering the balance of serotonin in the brain, which may reduce the compulsive urges that people with dermatillomania often experience. SSRIs are frequently used when skin-picking behavior is linked to anxiety or other impulse control disorders.

Other Medications: Other medications like antipsychotics or mood stabilizers may be prescribed depending on the severity of symptoms. These medications are typically used in cases where repetitive picking is part of a broader mental health or medical condition. 

Self-Care

Self-care plays a crucial role in healing both the physical and emotional damage caused by skin excoriation disorder. In addition to behavioral therapy and medications, maintaining a consistent skincare routine and using healing products can be an effective way to treat skin conditions and minimize further damage.

Zanova Collagen Treatment Hand Mask: Infused with hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, and vitamin E, this mask helps to heal damaged skin, reduce scarring, and restore a smoother, healthier appearance. The collagen-rich formula provides deep hydration, aiding in the recovery of scabbed or irritated skin caused by repetitive picking. Regular use of the hand mask can support skin repair and make it less tempting to pick at your skin.

Zanova Collagen Treatment Foot Mask: The Zanova Collagen Treatment Foot Mask offers a similar healing solution for those who may pick at their feet or struggle with cracked flaky heels. This treatment is particularly beneficial for individuals who pick at healthy skin on their feet or have yellow toenails due to repeated trauma.

By incorporating self-care products like these into a daily routine, people with skin-picking disorders can reduce visible skin damage and promote faster healing. Combined with professional treatment options, self-care strategies offer a holistic approach to managing skin-picking behaviors.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How does skin picking behavior affect mental health?

  1. Skin picking disorder often causes emotional distress, guilt, and isolation. Many people with dermatillomania feel ashamed of their skin picking and may avoid social situations or try to camouflage the skin. This behavior can worsen anxiety or depression.

Q. Can skin picking cause permanent damage?

  1. Yes, skin picking can cause long-term skin damage, including scarring, open wounds, and infections. Repeated picking often leads to visible damage that may require medical or even surgical intervention to treat.

Q. How to stop picking your face?

  1. To stop picking at your skin, it is important to seek professional treatment. Techniques like habit reversal training, using fidget toys, or wearing gloves may help reduce the urge to pick. Skincare routines that promote healing, such as Zanova collagen masks, can also minimize damage and reduce the temptation to pick.