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Picking, Picking AND MORE Picking
Hi everyone, I'm a eighteen year old, female, scalp picker since I was around eight years old. I was reading along a couple other forums and found that many other people pick different parts of there body. I hate the fact that I do it, I feel like its such a bad habit, I'm destroying my scalp and I think its probably the biggest turn off to. I try so hard not to, but then I just get overwhelmed with the feeling that I need to scratch and I do. I have even moved onto my legs and arms, and anywhere I have a blemish, which I've already left permit marks. I'm graduating high school in a week from now, I have to wear my hair down at my graduation out of fear of ruining it when its up from my compulsive picking. For example, I have a scab at the base of my neck in my hair line that I have compulsively picked at for about 5 months know, I haven't let it heal, I can't, as soon as I try to, I pick at it again. Its almost like I get relief from scratching, but I don't want to, because I hate it, as I mentioned earlier and I just want to STOP. Not to mention, I want to stop before university in September.
I just want to know, what have you all done to stop your picking or can you recommend anything to help me stop? Is picking or OCD hereditary and could this possibly be a sign of myself having OCD? (My mother and brother both have OCD, but they aren't pickers) Why am I picking?!?!? I don't understand why I get this overwhelming urge to do it!
June 19, 2012
I'm so sorry that this has been so frustrating for you. There is definitely a possibility that, since your mother & brother suffer from OCD, this is how OCD has manifested itself within you. I picked all through high school and as of the last month or so, have had clear skin. I'm not going to sugarcoat & say its easy. People like us will have to work at this every day, but we can do it. What I do to stop myself, is put a repair lotion on the mark that I've opened & then a bandaid. I am more of a face picker, however, and it might be more difficult for you to apply a bandaid on your scalp area for longer periods of time without further damaging your hairline. I would definitely try those little spot bandaids, though. Because once your fingers compulsively (& unconsciously, like it is for most of us with OCD tendencies) go up to the sore, the bandaid will be a subtle reminder to keep your hand away. Not once have I lifted the bandaid to pick, because it provides my subconscious' last ditch effort to prevent myself from re-opening a sore. When my acne finally healed after several months of "bandaid nights" (that's what I call the nights I would leave hypoallergenic bandaids on my face all night so that my sores weren't dry, brown & extra tempting to pick the next day), I use the Acne Spot Lightening (aka, scar treatment) from Murad to heal the redness & remove ALL temptation that remained. Good luck! :) you can do this!