Does anyone pick at the bottom of their feet? My story

Thank you thank you thank you to all of you who have admitted to this embarrasing compulsion. I can't tell you how long I have been destroying the heels of my feet, the bottoms of my pinky toes, the toenails on my pinky toes, and ALL of my fingernails and cuticles. I remember seeing my dad do it when I was a kid, so I guess I got it from that. I always bit my fingernails and picked at my heels until they would bleed. But it has gotten to the point where I do it so often that I worry about my heels NOT being able to heal. The reason I googled this tonight was because I was at a friend's house and she saw me picking at my heels on her couch! How nasty! I was totally embarrased. I hadn't even realized I was doing it. So, I came home, used my dremel tool to file my heels down as far as possible, and put giagantic bandaids over them. I have three open wounds on my left foot and one on my right. Before seeing this forum, I thought that I was the only one (other than my dad) who did this. Just knowing that other people have the same compulsion helps me to want to fight it. Too bad there is no "PA" (Pickers Anonymous). I would go to a meeting every week! I will probably never completely get rid of this disgusting compulsion. But I guess admitting the problem is the first step.

i thought i was the only one picking my skin on feet and fingers. it is good to know there are others out there with the same problem. i cannot figure out how to stop doing it. it is a force that is causing me to do it and i do not know what it is. also when i am driving i n eed to drive with one hand a lot of times so that i can pick with the other hand also i used to pick the heel of my left foot for a couple of years until it would bleed and i would have to hobble around at work for a couple of days because of it. but i never eat the skin that would be gross.

Success story: I think that I am cured now and I hope that my story will help a few of you, I have picked at my feet for 40 years. Every time I would clear an entire layer of skin from the bottom of my feet I would promise "this time it will stop," but then the roughness and unevenness came back and tempted me to pick again. Last month, in despair over sandals season, I found this site, and read a recommendation for the Black and Decker Mouse sander. I ordered one on Amazon for $27 and went to work. In no time my feet were beautifully smooth, after which I applied Eucerin. My soles are still reddened, as they have been for years due to picking, but texturally, they are lovely. Last night I went out in beautiful sandals and felt so proud. Thanks to the "fresh start," I haven't been tempted to pick for an entire month. I use Eucerin morning and night, and I "touch up" with the sander once a week or so. Next project: to find a way to stop picking at head. Maybe someday even I'll figure out a way to stop being so anxious and neurotic, but I'm not too hopeful about that...

Hi this is Sam. I thought I was the only one with the bad habit. I pick my feet the same way you described. I have the exact problem you do right on down to the bleeding and the bandaids. Do you get itching too? And now my new skin grows back hard making it even easier to pick. my family hates it and so do I buy I can't help it. What have you done about it and have you stopped ?

WOW!!! As bad as I feel for you, I'm really happy, and somewhat relieved that I am not the only person in the world with this problem... I'm 32 yrs old, and I've been doing this for as long as I can remember. It really is embarrassing, especially when its so bad that I have real trouble just walking. IT DRIVES ME CRAAAAZY!!!! No matter what I've tried, I just can't stop picking. I've started using scissors so that there wouldn't be any 'loose' edges to pick as, but all that has done, is created a way for me to start new sections to pick at. The raw, bloody, pain isn't enough for me to stop, I feel almost hopeless... I was just wrapping my feet in bandages right before I found this site!!! Oh man, I'm afraid nothing is going to make this stop, and eventually I'm frightened that I'll wind up with a bad infection, and have to just amputate my foot/feet!!! Anyone have any suggestions?? --Pete

WOW!!! As bad as I feel for you, I'm really happy, and somewhat relieved that I am not the only person in the world with this problem... I'm 32 yrs old, and I've been doing this for as long as I can remember. It really is embarrassing, especially when its so bad that I have real trouble just walking. IT DRIVES ME CRAAAAZY!!!! No matter what I've tried, I just can't stop picking. I've started using scissors so that there wouldn't be any 'loose' edges to pick as, but all that has done, is created a way for me to start new sections to pick at. The raw, bloody, pain isn't enough for me to stop, I feel almost hopeless... I was just wrapping my feet in bandages right before I found this site!!! Oh man, I'm afraid nothing is going to make this stop, and eventually I'm frightened that I'll wind up with a bad infection, and have to just amputate my foot/feet!!! Anyone have any suggestions?? --Pete

I have never known anyone to do what I do, but I am glad I found a place. I have been picking since childhood and my picking as an adult has become increasingly worse. I also bite off hangnails, fingernails, toenails and eat them, sometimes I throw them away. I started using nail clippers to clip my heals so I can start picking again. This part of my life is a secret, but only because it took me until very recently to realize what I was doing. I thought I was weird, but am now more conscious of what I do and it grosses me out. I just got done wrapping my big toe, both heals and my right thumb in bandages and thought to myself how far this is getting out of control. Yes it hurts too, but I can't stop. I am trying to make it better, but I leave the area looking worse. It is not debilitating and I don't think people notice. I have not tried to hide it really except that I do not wear sandals. I am also socially withdrawn and anxious most of the time. On the outside, I am functional, got it all together and people would never suspect. I am a good natured person and work with people all day long yet I go home and don't want to ever leave my house again because of people. I pick and pick and pick and PICK! I have stopped many times for long periods of times. I keep coming back to it though. It's pretty bad. Glad I found people who do this too because I seriously thought I was alone.

I pick the bottom of my feet constantly. I stopped for a few years and now I am doing it again. I also pick my scalp, hidden scabs and my cuticles. I can barely walk on my feet it hurts so bad. I peel the skin so deep it is painful to take any steps. I do it at work under my desk and if I have to get up for something I get aggrivated that I have to stop. My cuticles bleed scabs take so much longer to heal because as soon as it scabs over I am picking it off again. One sore on the back of my scalp did heal for a year. My cuticles and the small calluses around my nails hurt so bad typing this. The muscles in my fingers from picking my feet ache on a constant basis. When I am off I pick all day long to the point it interferes with my daily activities. I will do it for hours and hours. My legs get shooting pain because I have to keep them bent up to get to the bottom of my feet any resting point for my leg is sore and bruised. Why do we do this? How do we get to the root of the problem and fix the cumpulsion? It takes wastes my days and hours away... what is the resolution?

Hi jadiegirl, When I read your story I thought OMG that is so me. I pull the skin off the bottom of my feet and they are so raw that I'm limping around my house, LOL!!! Talk about an odd obsession with doing this to my feet. My husband is always telling me to STOP IT!! I also bite my nails and the skin around my fingernails. UGH...I can't stop. I will bite the skin off by my fingernails until they are bleeding just like the picking I do on my feet. I thought I was so weird and I would never know anyone who would do that, but here we are, LOL!!! If you've stopped how did you do it?

Wow. Ya'll! I have been struggling with this for most of my life. My story is an echo of so many of yours. I started biting the skin around my fingernails when I was in first grade. My family moved at the beginning of the school year and it started. I don't remember starting the habit, because I was a child, but my mom told me that when we moved I started biting my fingers until they bled. That is how she knew I wasn't taking the change so well. I do remember having trouble fitting in at my new school and kids picking on me a little bit. When I was 15 I started to peel the skin off of my feet for the first time. I remember being at the beach the summer after school got out, sitting in a hammock, and peeling my feet while I read. The previous school year I had changed schools and started going to a different high school than the one all the kids I grew up with went to. I didn't know anyone at my new school and again, had trouble fitting in. So here I am today, 32, and I still chew my fingers and peel my feet. I'll stop peeling my feet for awhile, they'll heal, and I'll be able to get pedicures :-). But I always seem to start back again. It helps in the winter, when I'm wearing boots or shoes to cover most of the time! I've also tried the pedi egg, like some of you have mentioned. And it did help to get all the 'hard and peelable' skin off so that I was less likely to pick. I need to be more consistent with it. I've recently gone on an extended vacation and didn't bring my pedi egg. But after reading our blog I realize I may just have to go out and buy what i need and cover my feet until I can leave them alone! I just want to say to all of you, HANG IN THERE and god bless you. Don't give up! We can beat this!! I didn't know if I should laugh or cry when I read your entries. I was so happy and relieved to know there are people out there that understand. My parents love me and harass me about stopping because they care. My dad yells at me and I know he just cares and wants to help. But they don't understand and sometimes make me feel worse, like something is wrong with me. They can't understand how someone would do this to him or herself. When I tell them I can't stop or try to explain that even I don't understand why I do it, they don't seem to believe me. So, when I found this blog, like so many of you I was relieved. Not because I think that our behaviors are healthy, but because I know there are people out there that understand. Thank you for sharing your stories. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. We can all get better, we just need some support. Reading your stories tonight has been such a great support to me. Thank you. I'm here for all of you. Let's try to get some sort of support group going to help each other overcome this and improve our lives. Again, god bless each and every one of you.

I am 30 years old and I have been picking my feet for years. My sister is always screaming at me to stop but I can't. During the summer I wear socks with my flip flops and water shoes in the pool so people can't see my nasty feet. I will sit on the couch and watch a movie and just pick and pick until my feet are sooo raw by the time I am done there is blood all over and a nasty pile of skin on the floor. I hate the fact that I do this and the fact that half the time I can;t walk because they are so sore but I just can;t stop! The morning is the worst , as soon as I stand up I have to sit down because it hurt so bad. It is gross this I know but I just can't stop. I have tried the ped egg (dosen't work) I also pick scabs, again gross, but can't stop. My husband doesn't say anything to me about it but I have to have sex with my socks on because I don't want him to see my feet. He knows I am a foot picker but he never says anything to me about it. I just want nice feet where I can go with friends/family and get mani's and pedi's. If I went now they would be like "EWWWW, PLease leave" lol

I have been picking my feet for years now and frankly I don't have a clue how to stop and really haven't seriously tried to stop. My girlfriend thinks I'm crazy for doing it. It really blows her mind. I started very young chewing on my fingernails and the skin around my fingers. I didn't always pick my feet but in the last 5 or 6 years it has been uncontrollable. Everytime I sit down to watch TV off comes the socks and the picking starts. I guess I find it relaxing. I really like dry skin to pick at the most. It is a compulsion for sure and it hurts to walk on my feet everyday. I don't know how to stop, simple as that. It is downright embarassing.

YES! I am so happy to have found this post! I am not alone. I've always been so embarrassed about the bottoms of my feet. I've been doing this since I was a kid. I used to scratch at my scalp too until it scabbed. I also used to pull my eyelashes out just to see how many I could pull out a day. I still peel my lips and use a tool now to peel the skin off of my feet. When I was younger I would chew on those peelings and for fun light the peeled pile of skin on fire in the sink. I can't believe I'm disclosing this as I have never told anyone that but after reading this post and all the responses I don't feel so alone in this act. Anyway, I should read more about this. Is it a disease? I've always thought it was some sort of anxious tick of mine along with my other anxiety induced behaviors. I'm a bit OCD and am very controlling. Oh boy! Too much information. Anyway, thank you for sharing.

I'm both relieved that there are other people out there who pick like I do (and want to talk about it), but also sadden, because I can relate to the anxiety, shame, and pain that comes with picking. I've got this sick assumption that if I keep on picking, somehow my heels will feel and look better; like somehow, one good pick will painlessly peel off all the raggedness, and my heels will be pretty and smooth. After a lifetime of picking at my cuticles, I should know better! Also, when my heels are really hurting, rubbing, massaging, and inevitably picking seems to relieve the pain somewhat. I end up doing more damage. My biggest concern is infection--with these open cuts, I could get a terrible infection walking in flip flops around my own house (much less the supermarket.) I used to work as a nurses aide in a nursing home, and I know that if I saw a patient harming herself like I am harming myself, I would report it as "self-injurious behavior," and there would be serious interventions. And rightfully so. I wish I had someone to talk about this in real life. I could cry, I feel so messed up! Okay, I am going to go wash my heels in the tub with warm water and a soapy washcloth, and then rub Eucerin Aquaphor on my heels and wear socks to bed. I invite you all to do this with me ... there aren't many problems that you can solve at 1 AM, but we can start a good habit, right?

I actually pick at my toes on the bottom of my feet..depending on how I feel controls which areas I will pick it's weird, ya know. Sometimes, I'll pick my face..sometimes the back of my neck or my back or arms..sometimes my thighs. Oh and sometimes my ears...which is painful because when I put earrings in it hurts! I just realized you posted this back in 2009..how are you doing with it now?