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Dermatillomania (skin picking disorder)

jackieboy414 , 29 May 2010

Does any know what I'm talking about?! b/c I have no clue..

i have a question regarding white pin-head dots that I am pulling out of my skin, and what the long term consequences for such actions will be. Ok so I've been picking since I was 19. Now four years later my arms above the elbow and my shoulders are dotted with dozens and dozens of dime to quarter sized pink scars, mixed in with 5 or 6 "active volcanoes." Typically the raging volcanoes start out as a tiny blemish of some sort; Ingrown hair, small nick of skin, even a pimple. After continual picking, they quickly expand and often become infected. when the wounds that are infected become scabs they are literally craters in my skin. if left alone for enough time the crater will forum a scab filled with a gooey yellowish substance. However they don't make it past that stage without being picked at continually. My obsession is not with the removal of the scab, but with removing tiny white pin head sized spots poking out of the area under the scab. Once I remove the scab the area underneath is more puss then blood, so I am able to see the details of the infected crater. I think the white things I am pulling out are hair follicules. IDK, like I said the wound is infected and has cratered into my skin so I am assuming due to the cratered area there is no upper level skin to hide the hair folicules. I will use tweezers to pull these tiny buldges out of my skin. When I remove one it pulls out like a weed being pulled from dirt, the section I see is only a portion of the entire thing. So if u made it thru this post and understand what I'm talking about, are they hair folicules?
94 Answers
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mikeal03
September 02, 2014
Hi my name is Miguel Angel Insurriaga. I'm a 37 year old Latino male from. San Antonio, Texas .want to ask if u finally got the rite help for or problem. Please I wud like to talk to u asap. If possible. I promise not to take up or time. Please call me At 210 - 689-9592. I aid like to share my story to you . Maybe we can figure out something. I feel the pain u go through. Six.
psmunoz68
April 21, 2014
SO thankful for this post! I am pretty sure I have this. It makes me crazy as I try to pull out these disgusting white things deep in my skin lesions, I have ALWAYS thought them to be some type of parasite or insect which basically creeps me out so then I talk myself into thinking I have impetigo brought on by picking. not so. pretty sure this demodex is what it is. I just found a fantastic site and ordered their products. I will repost if they help but wanted to put it out there for other sufferers: http://www.demodexsolutions.com/ Sometimes although we do pick - we don't cause the probelm - particularly if it's demondex. How can we NOT pick? There are white spots that are clearly LODGED into our skin and wont heal they MUST come out.
spottyface1
April 22, 2014
Hi There, I feel your pain! I've been dealing with this for a long time. I think it's a fungus, particularly a yeast..which can increase demodex if you have them because they feed on the sebum. Here are some things that have helped me. Pyrithione Zinc, Sulfur, and Anti-Fungal creams. I wash the spots with pyrithione zinc (head and shoulders, noble formula bar soap) and then rub some anti-fungal cream and/or sulfur ointment on the spots. Give this a try...it might help you and I hope you see some relief. You are certainly not the only one to go through this...I remember thinking that I was alone dealing with this and that makes things much scarrier. Good Luck and please keep me posted on your progress!
psmunoz68
April 24, 2014
thanks for the post. I will try the pyrithione zinc as well. It is reassuring to know others have gone thru the same thing. I found an article whereby some research showed that MUSTARD POWDER mixed with water kills demodex in SECONDS. So, naturally I mixed some up - threw it on my spots and went to bed. I woke up with a MESS. If it killed any demodex assuming that's what these white things poking out from under my crust is, it also killed lots of GOOD skin in the process. So, now I have a chemical burn from the mustard. URGH. Is there anything you know of to help a chemical burn (raw skin and pain + swelling)? It's SO painful - even so much so I'm forgetting about the other sores. Thanks.
spottyface1
April 25, 2014
Oh my goodness, I know that's painful...I've had these spots for so long that it has created a layer of dead, hard, and shiny skin on my face. I know that when I started washing with the py. zinc that the dead skin loosened up and then literally just peeled off my face when I washed it. The soap felt like hell's fire on my face and caused it to turn bright red and to swell up...(although helpful for killing the fungus and therefor allowing the dean layer of skin to be removed) Honestly, while your skin is still raw and sensitive, I think the best thing for you to do is to lightly wash it with a gentle cleanser, pat it dry with something that won't stick (maybe a gauze dressing) keep patting it dry if it is oozing or weeping, and let it scab up and heal on its own. Try sleeping with your head elevated to reduce swelling and to keep from rolling over on it and maybe take some ib profen. (Also washing your pillow cases regularly is a good idea) Once your skin has recovered, then I'd start washing it with the py zinc and applying some antifungal cream to it. I hope this helps, keep me updated...
spottyface1
April 25, 2014
A few other pieces of advice and information that I have gathered (there is no telling how many hours I've spent researching this) I would never advise someone not to seek professional medical help because I feel that would be irresponsible..however, in my case and for this particular health issue, I can tell you that all of the doctors I have visited (both general physician and dermatologist) have been completely useless! (I could elaborate on this, but I don't want to bore you) I've also read of numerous accounts of others dealing with this who have had similar problems with doctors..Second, for me this is not going to be a one and done deal..if this is a yeast (which I believe it is) this will require lifetime maintenance to keep this under control. I learned that the hard way! Third, supplements that have helped me are vitamins A and C, Zinc, and a good Pro/Pre-biotic (I take Syntol). Vitamin A decreases the amount of sebum that glands produce..a good thing for me. I recently added vitamin E to my regimen...bad thing for me. Vitamin E has lots of benefits, but it also increases sebum production...not good. I also ordered some AZO yeast relief that may help. (I have not received this yet and so I can't provide much insight as to the benefits of this product) One more piece of hopefully helpful advice..take a deep breath, hold your head up, and take comfort in the knowledge that this is something that you can get control of. (I have to remind myself of that, especially when my mother-in-law visits and points out and makes fun of the "uglies" on my face!) I'm here for any kind of help and support that I can provide...sometimes just having a friend (even an on-line friend) can really do wonders!
Jimmy_ d
May 06, 2014
My girlfriend almost had me convinced that this was in my head. she believes that the sores on my face will heal if I would just leave them alone. This simply isn't the case, they will scab over and the scab will fall off when I am washing or even smiling only to reveal the same sore. Like a splinter in your foot reminds you every step that it is there so do these sores every time I make an expression on my face. These white spots will appear under the scabs and if I can pull one out with tweezers it provides some relief from the pain. Often these white spots go deeper once I touch them, So I dig deeper for them causing the sore to get bigger , but I know that if I can't get it out my face will not heal. I have been to the doctors and the dermatologist and they have given me different acne treatments and ointments for the infection but it doesn't help this problem. It is a very embarrassing problem I am constantly making up excuses to explain to people who ask what happened. I don't like to go out, I have stopped going to the gym, and it Is a struggle to get up the nerve to go to work. I am embarrassed to be seen even by my own family and girlfriend, so I avoid family gatherings. I feel sad that I let this affect my life so much, I know that there are people that have much worse problems who would gladly trade spots. I just feel ashamed and dirty . This affects my relationship as my girlfriend is frustrated by the time I spend I front of the mirror, and how it affects my self-esteem and ability to be my fun outgoing self. She said that she is scared that I am putting these holes in my face causing scars, but loves me no matter what I look like. I know she is concerned and was trying to reassure me but she made me feel as ugly as I think I am. I have watched the videos on demodex and I am creeped out that that is what these little white "slivers" I pull out of my sores could be. I used some tea tree oil last night after watching a demodex mite die in a YouTube video. I hope it works. I am just glad to see that I am not alone. I can't explain this to anyone. Despite what my girlfriend thinks, I am not just picking for the sake of picking, if my face felt fine I wouldn't be touching it. It is sore and it will not heal until these white things are out of my skin.
spottyface1
May 06, 2014
Hi Jimmy_d, I understand how you feel, and you are certainly not alone. I made a couple of posts on this particular subject..(a few posts down this page) so I won't retype everything...but give the sulfur and antifungals a try. My spots are not completely gone, but they have significantly improved. I'm waiting on the the deepest parts of my sores which still have scabs to heal up. Before I started using the sulfur and antifungals, the scabs would fill up with a yellowish greasy fluid and the scabs would just slide off...revealing the same sore. All the doctors I went to would just give my antibiotics after antibiotics, which only made things worse. And the worst part of all...when I told the derms/doctors that I thought that it was fungal and asked for oral antifungal medication...they refused. I think that this is a yeast which I've learned is very difficult to detect on a culture, but one of the derms refused to even send a culture for a fungus. I think that some doctors have such an ego that they refuse to listen. Anyway, sorry about the rant. I hope that some of the information on this site helps you.
spottyface1
May 07, 2014
Hey, I ordered 10 % sulfur ointment from de la cruz on amazon. It's a yellow kinda greasy ointment and I was a little worried that it would break me out, but it works great. I couldn't find it in the stores, but I did find some prosacea gel, which says sulfur 1x. It worked pretty well while I was waiting on my order from amazon. As far as the antifungal, I think clotrimizole works the best, which I think is lotrimin (just check the main ingredient on the tube, it should tell you.) good luck and keep me posted!
spottyface1
May 07, 2014
Hey, One more thing that might help. There are lots of studies that show the many benefits of taking msm supplements. I just ordered some from amazon, so I can't give any personal experiences. One of the benefits of msm (which is organic sulfur) is that it is an anti-parasitic. Can't hurt, so I'm gonna give it a try. I just want to share all of the information that I have learned with everyone. I would not wish this misery on anyone!! Good Luck Mr. Jimmy_D!!
terrene
June 24, 2014
Hello All...first time here...sure does "take one to know one" just to relate to us all that suffer here, the only reason one would pick at something is because there IS something there that is very painful to pick !!! Doctors and dermotologist say they have no clue what it is, whaaaa...really folks. You all might think im CRAZY❇....but, I am a 56 year old woman, yas, I've been around for a long time, growing up I had occational breakouts nothing bad or out of control, but this came about a year ago and my story closely relates here. CRAZY❇LADY SPEAKING....I THINK THEY ARE CAUSED BY THE FAMOUS "CHEMTRAILS" thats all folks
mikeal03
September 01, 2014
Beautiful u have much to be afraid of since u said I've had reoccurring symptoms since childhood. I can relate. By any chance u start Developing a pot belly or go inimic or gain stomach. Are u a lot more dehidrated now? Mood swings? Snap. Or health? Not to well. Comes and goes every 4 to 6 months
Hailey143
June 25, 2014
i really need help please ! i had accidentally scratched my little sister where she had the exact same thing but after all the blood came out there was this thing that started coming out and at first i thought it was pus but i couldn't remove i wiped at it then she said it hurt. Did i really hurt her that badly. please help me im getting kinda scared of what i did to her shes only 6 years old
mikeal03
September 01, 2014
Haily u have reason go be alarmed this is very contagious especially in the shower. There's a cure fore u. Or holding par I cites in or body and I've had them about years to the date if finding them. U have hook warm. Treatment 30 days of 200mill once a day with oral antibiotic to help heal and antibiotic ointment for skin. Its going to feel very spiritual when first taking it. So much us going to detach off ye skin. Trippy I know. A lot of think black follicles. Don't worry its not or hair. Thank god they name a pill that cures cancer. Oops did that
mikeal03
September 01, 2014
Haily u have reason go be alarmed this is very contagious especially in the shower. There's a cure fore u. Your holding paricites in ur body and You've had them about 4years to the date if finding them. U have hook warm. Treatment 30 days of 200mill once a day with oral antibiotic to help heal and antibiotic ointment for skin. Its going to feel very spiritual when first taking it. So much us going to detach off ye skin. Trippy I know. A lot of think black follicles. Don't worry its not or hair. Thank god they name a pill that cures cancer. Oops did i just say that. Lmk how it goes . Contact me at 909-334-0990. Be waiting on your call. Oh higeins and cross contamination all over your apt/ home. Bleach and alcohol and a lot of patience. Recommend using gloves period tell u get cured especially car clothing foot handles knobs act Everything u touch c.d.s DVDs everything. Watch where u cough. Try not to swallow or spit. If you are contaminated your saliva is full of a Spores. A.c. system at home needs to be serviced. Spores in the air go in yr lungs. Good luck and god bless. Feel free to call me anytime. Oh and slow down on or fat intake they feed on lower intestine wall eating off yr waste. try using magnesium citrate once every 2 or 3 days helps flush out till u get the proper help. Have them run a stool smear glass test. But by no means go to hospital waste of time.go to someone u can trust. Take care
mace760
July 08, 2014
I have had these for years and the docs I saw were not able to help or even understood what I said about the root/seed...they thought I imagined it. However I just saw a wonderful lady doc today that doesn't know what it is exactly...says it is something in the blood. She does know how to get rid of it. Here is what I got be sure to double check the spelling and some amounts may change based in weight: Clindamycin 150mg bid Hydroxyzine 10 mg bid Ivermectin 3mg x4 stat She also recommened a tapering does of prednisone at the same time which I have to wait on due to my own health state. I am excited that this might actually work. The doc made mention of the "itchy, crawly" feeling WITHOUT my mentioning it. I had only described as splinters. I will try and let you know how it works for me.
mikeal03
September 01, 2014
Misdiagnosis. Symptoms right on the money. Your forgetting to mention that that itchy feeling are by dark blemishes and old pimples that are probably seeping. Wrong meds. Have him run a stool smear glass test and let me know how it goes. Much to talk about. Have him proscribe 30to40 day prescription @200 m of once a day Albenza with 15 day oral antibiotics for infection and antibiotic ointment to heal skin. Contact me at 909 334-0990

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