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audra , 06 Mar 2009

I'm not sure if I actually have CSP...

I'm 19 and I've been biting and picking at the skin around my nails, my cuticles and my nails for as long as I can remember. In fact it's been going on so long that the skin surrounding the nails on my thumbs is always a pink color as the skin is never left long enough to match the lower part of my thumbs. I've also learned that this behavior is hereditary with the women in my family, I've been told that my Great Grandmother even was a nail and skin biter. I seem to have minor forms of everything, none of it embarrasses me too much, except for the nail and skin biting around my fingers, but only if I'm meeting new people. I also pick at my scabs, I have one on my shin right now that's been trying to heal for a month, but usually every night before I got to sleep I pick the scab off. I usually get scars when the scabs finally heal. I have hereditary skin condition called keratosis pilaris, a build up of keratin proteins on the skin on my upper arms that cause little dry bumps and I constantly pick at these especially the ones that are near my elbows, they become inflamed and often bleed. I've also experienced standing in front of my bathroom mirror for hours late at night trying to get rid of my blemishes and blackheads. I also think I might have a mild form of Trichotillomania, in Middle School I would frequently pull hair from my part especially if they felt 'wrong'. I stopped for the most part in high school but now that I'm in college I've found myself pulling the 'wrong' feeling hairs more and more often.
2 Answers
tarab
March 06, 2009
Honestly Everything you have said is so me! I am a Skin Picker my fingers to my face to the split ends that feel" wrong". Everything you have said is a Skin Picker. It's alright now that you know there must be some relief there for you. I am at collage age & work for a Real Estate company. My fingers are discolored and my nails are bit to the nail bed. I don't know how to stop this problem either. It's something that requires people with the same problems your going thou help you deal with. Some people on Skin Picks has helped me deal with it a lot better. Threw Email or Im etc. I am here also. Since everything you have I do also- it's hard to find a person that bites at there hands like me. But I do have a question for you--keratosis pilaris? I have these tiny bumps on my upper arms and have since I was a child. I always pick at them and they are much worse after I gained some weight this Holiday Season.Could you tell me a bit about it? It would really help me! Well get back to me. I am happy that now you know we can help eachother It's going to be a hard process that takes patience. TAKE CARE! Tara B
audra
March 10, 2009

In reply to by tarab

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keratosis_pilaris Wiki explains it best, I've found that aloe vera gel often helps with the redness and I use a loofa to get rid of the worst of them. They're usually worse in the winter time because of how dry the air is, but they mostly tone down in the summer. I hope that helped some :) When do you pick/bite at your fingers the most? I find I usually do it when I'm sitting in class, or at home watching tv and I see or feel a piece of skin or nail that doesn't feel smooth or even with the rest of my skin. Lately though I've noticed I've been doing it while driving. Do you also pick at the split ends in your hair? It's really gross and a lot of the time I don't wear my hair down because I'll unconsciously pick at them and then my desk or table has a bunch of little hair pieces all over. Thanks for responding, hope to hear more from you :) audra

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