Online Test

Find out the severity of your symptoms with this free online test

Take the test
magenta1985 , 17 Apr 2013

IMPORTANT QUESTION PLEASE READ

Hi, I've been picking the skin on the bottom of my feet now for about 14 years. I don't really know what caused me to start doing it. I always bit my nails and the cuticles and some of the skin on my fingers when I was a young girl. I've picked my feet until they were so raw that they bled sometimes and I had difficulty walking on them. The skin has become so calous and white that the only reason why I keep doing it is becuase I can't stand that horrible look. I'm so embarrassed to show anyone my feet and I regret doing it. But recently as I've been lying in bed and I put my feet down on the mattress I get a burning or hot sensation that I can't take anymore. Has anyone ever read about if you can get nerve damgage by peeling the bottoms of your skin for such a long time? I'm so afraid something's happened by me doing this ridiculous thing to my feet. I don't know why it becomes so addictive. And being that I'm a girl it makes it worse. I don't think guys would understand this and I know it would definitely turn them off. Really what guy wants to look at his girlfriends feet and see cracks and scales? Also the skin is numb. I have no feeling really in the new skin when it grows back. I'm gong to see a foot doctor and ask him what I can do because I don't want to continue this anymore. If anyone is experiencing the symptoms I am can you please write me back. I'm so scared.
3 Answers
Add Comment
reece4breakfast
April 20, 2013
Don't be so scared! The fact that you are a girl doesn't make it any worse, when it comes to men, if they get the time to know you enough they will love you for who you are, and accept the fact that you have this problem. Don't let it consume you, it's a problem, yes, but it's not who you are. Do not define yourself as "the girl with scaly feet" I'm sure there's much more to you than a silly addiction of picking at your feet!
magenta1985
April 22, 2013
Thanks for answering me, but what I'm truly worried about and my main question is anyone having the symptoms like burning of the feet they sit down and their feet are pressing against the floor. When I sit down or have my feet pressing on my bed, the insides of my feet will begin to burn and gradually the sensation gets worse until I can't take it anymore and I have to lift them up. I've noticed this when I'm waiting at the doctors offices because they always make you wait a year and a day. I'm scared I have nerve damage. I went to a pediatrist and he said that from a 1 to 10 my feet were a 2 and I didn't have I don't have peripheral neuropathy. I told him about the bottoms of my feet burning but I think he took it like the skin on the bottoms of my feet are burning instead of deep on the insides. So I'm calling him tomorrow to explain.
skinpickfeet
February 25, 2015

Hi did anything come from your doctors visit?
I am a skin picker on the soles of my feet and have experienced the burning you talk of as well as the new skin growing back being numb. But now it's more serious (I go really really deep) and one side of my foot is completely numb and tingly. I'm super worried but also interested in what happened in your case??

Start your journey with SkinPick

Take control of your life and find freedom from skin picking through professional therapy and evidence-based behavioral techniques.

Start Now