I really just want to wear a skirt again...

I am the same way. The front of my legs have so many marks. Sometimes I don't even know how they get there. It's awful. I've been able to hid it from my friends. At least I think I am. But now that I'm in a relationship it's impossible. I'm hoping the embarrassment will make me stop. I am not ready to tell him the truth. My action plan is wearing gloves, taking vitamins, putting neosporin on the wounds. And stopping. But I must say it's making me crazy. But today is day one. I'm just glad I'm not alone.

i do the exact same to my face then when my face is too bad to do anything to i move onto my legs, its like this never-ending cycle. i have found a few things that have helped me stop temporarily but i'm so frustrated that none of those things seem to work long term. i'm so sorry to you and everyone who has to deal with this problem. i'd take it away in a heartbeat if i could. i feel so hopeless about it sometimes and don't think i will ever get my self-esteem back. i've lost so many relationships through this and have almost no social life because i refuse to leave the house when my face looks so monstrous and disgusting. picking has caused me to even damage relationships i did have because i'd constantly flake on people that i'd made plans with because i had a picking session the night before and couldn't bear explaining what had happened. when this first started i used to be able to tell small lies (embarrassing i know and i hate lying)and they'd "pass" like oh i fell off my bike or got stung by bees, etc.. now its so bad nothing i say would be believable other than the truth. i'm always so blown away by the damage i do now and the progression of it from the first time i picked. im so ashamed and so sad by all of this. this site seems like a last resort to me, i just found it accidentally but am so grateful because i thought i was the only one. i just am so sad about the effect this has really had on my life. i've almost been arrested for it because i was at a 7-11 at midnight (cuz i knew no one else would be out) just getting a drink and two cops there thought i was a meth addict and thats what the "sores" on my face were from so they took me into the station and held me overnight while they waited for the results of a drug test and they let me go early the next morning when i passed. that was probably my lowest point with all of this and when i made the decision to stop leaving the house when ever i picked- that happened one year ago this past february. it was traumatizing- not to sound dramatic but it was, im still in disbelief about it. sorry this all ended up just coming out, it probably isnt that helpful to hear my crap sorry im just so overwhelmed right now and lonely, on day 5 of not leaving my house or seeing anybody. i hope this site helps me and everyone on it.

I have the same problem. I pick my legs. Mostly my thighs. It started with my knees about 8 years ago. I don't even know why. I just started picking like two little ingrown hairs or something after I shaved my legs and it went out of control after that. I have become a little bit better with it and I do it less in the spring and summer months, but my legs look awful and I cant wear shorts or skirts without make-up or tights. I have managed never to get any infections somehow though. I still don't know why I do it though. I've tryed just stopping and I've tryed scar lotions and oils. They fade the older ones, but it doesn't stop me from creating new ones. I didn't know there were so many people with this problem. I want to find someone to help. I don't know what type of doctor or therepist to see about it though, but I think I finally am ready to.