ACNE

these were my thoughts too ... if there were nothing to pick, i wouldn't pick ... at 55, i'm still struggling with trying to leave imperfections alone .... not picking at something or other ... i maintain, i don't pick at anything that isn't there ... there seems to be always something or other ... the long and short of it is, there likely always will be and that my skin would be better off if i didn't make war with every little thing ... i've managed to quit picking for 48 consecutive days and have seen my skin healed and it was wonderful ... it is difficult to stop picking completely but i maintain, it must be possible ... if i could do it that long once, i should be able to do it again ... i just must get serious about it again ... from my experience, i know it is possible, at least for me, but it requires commitment and determination to changing behaviours ... i hope you find the commitment, the determination, the plan of attack, etc, sooner rather than later so you're not me, years down the road, still suffering and dealing with this compulsive disorder ....

I ONLY pick my blemishes too. I then had one week where I went to another city for a conference and was working long days. During this week I really had no time to pick (public places and people always around) and I was too exhausted to do it when I got back to the hotel. Guess what happened? I had way less acne and some stuff actually started to heal! Guess what else, I thought I had no problem until I told myself I would leave my skin alone. I couldn't do it. I cannot walk by a mirror at home without picking. Think about it this way... if you had a large gash on your leg from a knife and the doctor told you not to touch it until it is healed you could leave it alone until it is healed right? Well try to tell yourself that with the blemishes. It doesn't work right? I mean a gash is even uglier but it would be easier to not pick at it for some reason. My point is that you chose your skin... and probably add to the problem like I do, really giving yourself way more to pick at. You could have picked something else like your hair or nails but you chose your skin. Also, if you pay attention, most of the people out there have the same pimples.. the small ones.. but they just let them be.. I actually find the most ridiculous excuse for a blemish and have to get it out. That is where the big, painful, not ready to come out but I am going to try anyway blemishes happen. Some leave scars, the worst thing is knowing I made them happen because I couldn't help myself. I am not saying there is anything wrong, but if you can't stop, even when you want to... something IS wrong. Take care of yourself.

Not only do I pick my cuticles, but I also cannot stop popping my zits. I often think I missed my calling and maybe should have become a dermatologist so I could pop other people's zits. Often when I see someone with large whiteheads or blackheads on their face I wonder why they haven't popped them already and have to resist the urge to want to pop them for them! I have made a mess of my face to the point where I have permanent acne scars that I cover up with makeup. When I hit puberty, I got very oily skin and from wearing glasses all day, I ended up with black heads all over my nose. They are also around my mouth and on my chin. They are small, but everything I've tried hasn't made them disappear. When I was wearing acrylic nails it made it too easy to dig in and since the nails were sharp it would cause the skin to break and swell, thus the permanent acne scars I gave myself. I've since learned that if I have a pimple that's manageable to let it alone as best I can and it eventually clears itself up. I also try to resist the urge to run to the bathroom or run to find a mirror to pop the pimple and rather leave it alone and I eventually forget about it. Also, I don't keep a hand mirror in the bathroom anymore and I don't have very bright lighting in there either otherwise I will go to town. And finally I removed my acrylic nails - no nails, no access. I'm over 40 now and I thought I would eventually stop getting zits, but I guess I am doomed to have oily and pimple-prone skin until I'm an old lady!