I'm a woman and I pick my breasts! Does anyone else?

I do it too! I thought i was the only one.. I pick at my breasts mostly, and my face.. It's hard to stop and wish I could sometimes.. I'm only 16 and I've been doing it for about.. 5 years now? I've had breasts pretty much since I was 10.. But it started when I was 11 obviously.. But if anyone has any tips on what to do to stop? It's just so hard sometimes.. Especially when I get an urge to... Even though I know all you ladies say you do it, I still feel a little weird and dumb for doing it.. I am happy that I'm not the only one though!

I do too. I pick and pop little pimples I find on my boobs :(

I'm so very sad and started crying reading all of this. I have been picking for 10 years. I'm 20 years old. I do believe it started when I was molested and since that point, I've felt dirty on the inside. I've been on anxiety and depression pills, and developed Mersa when I was 16, but I felt like I couldn't stop ever. I pick everything that has pores!! I usually don't repick scabs, but I can count 100's of scars on my body. BELIEVE ME, YOU ARE NOT UGLY!!! No matter what, I've noticed men don't look at our skin like we do. If they care, they point it out, but if they love you, they see past it. NEVER FEEL UGLY AND NEVER GIVE UP ON A RELATIONSHIP! We can fix it somehow. I think meditation helps the most. You get to find your inside, and maybe, if we can find that, we will stop needing to do this. There is always a way. Reading this has helped me realize that I'm not the only one, and if they can find a cure for the most terrrible epidemics, we can find a cure for this. We're beautiful!!

I'm 16 years old and I started to pick at my skin a few years ago. I pick all over my body at any bulging pimple I can find on my body. However over the past few years it has gotten worse and has reached the limit to where, instead of picking at the pours on boobs with my fingers, I BITE them. I know I must sound like some kind of freak but I can't help it. It's a habit that has seriously grown out of proportion and has reached the extent that i cant even go to the doctors about this because I'm too embarrassed! I was so relieved when i learnt that I am not alone, that other women too pick at their boobs, but I feel like a freak because it sounds like such a disgusting habit that I actually use my teeth. But i seriously need help in how to stop! Being a young teen I struggle to do the everyday things that my friends do like wear low cut tops, getting changed in the changing rooms, wearing bikini's etc and obviously I've reached the age where I may want to have sex, but obviously i cannot do any of this because of the hideous marks left on my boobs. I hate it so much that i cry at the thought of why i do this. I really need some advice or treatment because i want to stop NOW before it follows me into adulthood. I am ruining such a beautiful part of the female body and I am so determined to stop!

Hey ladies, Im 19yrs old and have had a drug problem for about 3 months now.. ever since i cannot stop picking at my skin! My face has always had black heads but i have begun to notice them 10 times more now. ill pick /squeeze or pinch a pore until i see something come out.. just to make sure its gone. and yep u bet it grows back 100000 times bigger and redder :( also my boobs have got black heads/ pimples on them waaah :( so gross!!!

It is so good to know that I'm not alone and that I'm not some freak who does this. I am becoming aware through my research that this is extremely common, that it has a name and is a disorder, not something I can control. All the long years of hating myself for what I deamed to be a lack of will power (weakness) can now stop. I need help ! Four days ago I covered my bathroom mirror in posters saying things like stop don't do it stop picking , that sort of thing but after the second day I have failed and taken to my face and breasts . Now I'm so mad at myself feeling guilty and ashamed like always after going to town on my skin . I have been a picker for as long as I can remember !!! When I was young it was the backs of my arms and then when I turned 19 and started to break out it was my face and when I fell pregnant it was my breasts and my face . My son is 5 now and I am 26 years old. That's 7 years of off the charts awfull picking that has left me very scarred with the classic dark brown spots that acne pickers have . This disorder has taken over my life , it killed my self esteem so much I got myself involved in a physically and psychologically abusive relationship which I am now out of but now I have been single for a year. My son and I stay in a women's refuge . I hardly socialize with my friends anymore I have isolated myself , consuming my time up with study and my sons school and activities (swimming, karate,rugby) I hide away under expensive Mac foundation that I have to wear a lot of to feel somewhat happy with my appearance. I don't have sex , the thought of dating scares the hell out of me , my confidence is in complete tatters and I see no end in sight to this awful life controlling disorder I have. There seems to be no where our there for us . I almost wanted to start up a PA (pickers anonymous) just so I could be in a supportive environment with others like me !!!! I am in Perth if anyone is interested in that idea too . So nice to have found this forum ..... God I'm so disappointed in myself for picking tonight !!!! Face is so sore ! P.s I'm a picker who uses needles .... I will pierce and stab my face with the needle sometimes half the length of the needle will be in my face . Anyone out there knows of things that help please let me know I'm desperate !!!!

I am ASTOUNDED to learn how many other women do this, and have been doing this for as long as I have. I am 24 years old and have been compulsively picking my breasts, thighs, and upper arms since I was 10. I have not gone a single day without doing it. If I'm given an opportunity to start, I can literally do it for hours at a time unless I'm stopped or something interrupts my picking spree. I have suffered from anxiety my entire life, and for me, picking is the equivalent of having a cigarette. It calms me down when my anxiety peaks. I have done it for so long that my breasts, arms and thighs are riddled with scars- I have never been able to expose my chest and will only be intimate with my husband if the room is blacked out and/or I have a shirt on. Summer is a dreadful time of year for me. I will wear men's t-shirts so that the upper parts of my arms are covered, and refuse to wear anything revealing or that has a low neckline. This includes tank tops, spaghetti straps, swimwear, etc. I LOATHE the the site of the areas I pick, and avoid mirrors at all costs. I have destroyed my breasts more than anything else, and I never liked them much to begin with. My husband asks me what it is I'm picking, and I tell him blackheads. The truth is that I believe I'm picking out hair follicles; I only seem to have true blackheads and pimples on my upper arms and the odd pimple on my thighs. That said, I will pick at anything I feel can be picked. I don't know how to stop. I truly don't feel counseling would help someone like me, nor medication, nor will power. I often don't see a point in stopping since the damage has already been done and the condition of my skin (with regards to the scarring) has been ruined forever. I am relieved to know I am not the only one, and I hope that you are ALL able to stop <3

Hi. Like most of you I thought I was alone in this horrible habit! It is weirdly reassuring to know other people suffer with this. I really hoped I'd grow out of it, I'm now 32 and have been picking since late teens! It started with the backs of my arms which is somewhere I've seen my mother pick on herself and also my brother. After my first boyfriend commented on the fact he'd prefer me less hairy between my legs and I naively shaved in response (I was 17) and since then have suffered with ingrown hairs that I pick at mercilessly! It's a mess of scars and I know it looks really unattractive but that doesn't seem to stop me. I've had no childhood trauma or hard life to deal with, but I guess I'm pretty lonely and do spend a lot do time by myself which gives me ample opportunity to attack myself with no one to stop me. I'm not an unattractive person and whilst I know if I found someone who loved me the scars wouldn't matter, but I really can't imagine anyone loving me so I guess I've got to the point where I don't really care about the scars. Although I must care a bit to be writing about this and I do use antiseptic creams and bio oil in the hope to limit the damage and I do fear a proper infection as a result of picking. I'm also a little concerned that the constant application of these creams and absorption to such a sensitive area could affect my fertility and cancer has also crossed my mind. My family and friends are aware as obviously my arms are visible sometimes and over the years I've reduced the picking in this area (although has flared up recently). No one's ever said anything apart from strangers asking what happened to my arms and I've made up some excuse about insect bites or rash! I would like to stop and have like many of you made myself promises that I don't keep and I know it's bad at the moment because I've let myself get overtired and I'm lonely. I'm sorry I can't offer any answers but it does feel good to talk about it and to know that there are other people out there with the same condition. My only advice would be to the younger ones on here to really try and get help early to try and stop it because you don't grow out of it and as you get older your skin doesn't heal as well or as quickly and it really is a shame to damage your skin especially when it's at your youthful best! Good luck everyone.

I am in tears reading this. I've felt like a freak for so long. Something in me tonight told me to google - just see if other people do this. Maybe I haven't done it before because I figured that if I didn't find anything it would mean I really am just weak. I pick at my breasts. I think it started as a way to not pick at my face because I was so ashamed of my skin. No not even the shame can stop me. I pick around my nipples and it's caused little scars which collect pockets of white matter. This makes it harder to stop because I know they're always there, waiting. A while ago I caused a slight ingrown follicle under my one nipple. This didn't stop me. In fact getting it out made me feel good. I can't believe this is an actual disorder and that I'm not weak minded and weird. I pick at my face despite the fact that I work in television and am photographed regularly. The make up just gets thicker. I use to have stunning skin and there is no reason I should be doing this. I have no issues or history of abuse. I don't hate myself. NOW I've moved to my upper and inner thighs, arms, upper back and legs. My scalp is a mess. I can barely comb my hair without it hurting. I'm worried about skin cancer, which is in my family, and never being able to stop. One by one I've given up on my dreams of modelling and now I'm caring less about my tv career every time I have to stop because a shoot is coming up. Now that I've spent the last few hours researching this, I realise that the change in how I see myself could also be due to this. I haven't felt sexy or sensual in ages. Because I have so much to hide. SAD but hopeful. Parker, 26.

I'm fifteen, and I have the same problem. I went through a serious of traumatic events, and still am. I'm not sure if i pick at myself because I'm ashamed, or what. But I'm strangely relieved to know that so many other women do this. It's become so obsessive. It started with my face, now all over my breasts,, chest, all over my back, shoulders, arms, legs, and my scalp. I try so hard not to. People tell me I'm a pretty girl all of the time. I cover my scars with make up. If they knew the truth, I can't help but to think I'd be considere disgusting. This whole time, I thought I was a freak, until I stumbled onto this website while I was searching for a way to stop picking or make the acne or the acne scars go away. I'm thankful for that. It helps knowing I'm not alone. I just need help, though. I'm covered in deep scars, and it's not stopping me. In a few years, I can't even imagine what I'll look like. I'm really worried and ashamed. I wish the best for all of you. And I hope you wish my luck with my problem, as well.

Sometimes I find tiny red bumps on my nipples that look kind of like zits, and I pick them a tiny bit, but I really don't want to damage any more of my body, especially such a sensitive area, so I leave them alone. I already do my face, chest, back, and occasionally arms, legs, and even stomach and..... ahem, pubic area. So embarrassing. And if I find a little bump on my body, I immediately scratch it until it's irritated.

I have exactly the same problem! I focus primarily on my breasts but also anywhere else I can reach. Its ruining my life. Im 23, started at 14. Im too scared to get a boyfriend and have lied saying I am asexual to avoid intimacy. Any ideas what to do?

Hi there! I am a woman, just turned 26 and have been picking my skin since I was 10. It started with my face and breasts then started doing it on my bikini line and under my arms. When I turned 26 a couple of weeks ago I realised I had been picking for 16 years on average 15min per day and I promised myself I wouldn't let it be 20 years. I am giving myself 4 years to get rid of it and I have started doing meditation at the yoga studio I go to where the teacher is helping me sort out what triggers my 'picking sessions' so I can work from that. I barely picked the first week after our first meditation together but when I went yesterday I can home and picked at my breast for almost 2 hours and I am feeling very sad today. I told my friend about it and she said I should focus on the whole week without it and how good and proud I felt, and to see that I feel miserable when I do it. Today I am going to focus on a diet for the next few days to help heal my skin : fully vegan, mostly raw and packed with vitamins. I also have my first hypnotherapy session this Wednesday and hope to get something out of that as well. Let me know if you want me to keep you posted on my progress or if you want me to give you ideas for my healing diet. This is all experimental and I will try everything to have beautiful skin on my breast and face again!

Hi there im 19 and im a serious picker aswell. Been doing it for years. this kills myself esteem. My breasts are ruined and i do it to my face aswell. I have had a lot of trauma, sexual abuse and rape throughout my life. My therapist says its a way of punishing myself, and also my coping mechanism. I have so much self hate, and keep it a secret. I hate that im self harming and i dont know how to stop. best of luck to everyone. This is a soul killing disorder i feel your pain and can relate. x

You have no idea how accepted I feel after seeing this post and everyone's comments. I have picked at my breasts for at least 6yrs now and I'm almost 20. I have scars on my breasts and it's extremely embarrassing for me, I've also recently taken to picking the back of my legs, which has led to scars there as well. I'm a big girl so I already have a hard time thinking my body could be thought attractive by any man, but these scars make it even worse. I tell myself I will stop picking, but next thing I know, there's a new spot and I HAVE TO pick it, it's almost like I can't control myself anymore. I'm terribly embarrassed and afraid I will never stop picking or feel comfortable enough with my body to show myself to a man. I'm sorry to vent about it all, but this is the first time I've EVER talked about it, and although it's anonymous I still feel a little bit better.

Yes! I too mainly pick at my face and breasts...It's like any tiny imperfection, pimple..anything..needs to be removed and I think that by picking at it and digging at it that will make it all better...Obviously it makes it 1000 times worse and the scars, especially on my breasts are humiliating. I feel like my body as a woman is ruined... I remember the most embarrassing situation happened when I was 17 and was getting my nose fixed ..I was on the operating table..( oh did I forget to mention this was in Beverly Hills, Ca...The land of "Beautiful perfect women?!..I was definitely in the wrong city..I should of known I would be a huge imperfect specimen of a woman there! Ha!) anyway... well they put me under and of course u have to get naked when ur in the operating room...well they began working on my nose and for some reason I kinda woke up in that twilight sleep and just then the doctor and three nurses were all gathered around and they began to put the heart monitor pads on me ..so they had to remove the sheet I was covered with..and they must of thought I was totally out because I heard the doctor say.."Oh My God!..Oh..No..oh..blah..blah.blah!" and the nurses also seemed disgusted...I am 48 now and I'll never forget the awful shame I felt!! I'll never forget that and so now..even though married for 25 years...I think that would be everybody's reaction so I hide my self as best I can. So for any other woman out there...I know the shame of it..your are definitely NOT the only one! And I hope sites like this were we can REALLY be honest will stop this obsession.