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The below is a forum entry made by one of our community members. If you want to know more about your condition, we suggest you read the following article written by a mental health professional on
Picking Scabs
White Stretchy Plugs
I've always squeezed bumps and blemishes on my skin, but recently I've gone through a period of work-related stress. I was off work for 2 months, during which time my picking and squeezing got worse. I had lots of blemishes on my chest which I squeezed and picked until I had a few nasty little wounds. One of them became quite deep, and I discovered that when I picked the scab off there were a few little white pinhead shapes under it, in the wound. They were screaming out to me to be picked out, but I couldn't do it by hand - I had to use tweezers. Sometimes I found I would need a wool needle to ease the white thing out a bit before the tweezers could get hold of them. When I pulled, a white elasticy thing would stretch and then come out. It was about 2mm long. It was VERY satisfying to pull it out, so I looked for some more in my skin. This made my picking worse, and I now find I am thinking of it quite a lot of the day. I am longing to pull more stretchy white things out of my skin. I put up with quite a bit of discomfort and pain just to get the satisfaction of pulling out these stretchy white plugs. To heal my wounds I use Savlon antiseptic liquid, and they begin to dry up quite quickly. But this is the most tempting time to pick - the scab becomes very crusty and itchy, and I see little white bumps underneath which could be those white plugs I long to pull out. They are itchy and I am dying to pull them out!
Just want to share my experience in hopes that it might help someone. I've experienced all of the same things everyone is describing: stretchy white plugs that are rooted and can only be pulled out with tweezers. I'm on my 3rd dermatologist, and I think this one has finally figured it out. The 1st two dermatologists blamed me - said it was my picking and more or less called me crazy. The 2nd dermatologist was a good one, and tried very hard to help me, but after a couple of years you could tell he finally got frustrated with me. The 3rd dermatologist, the one I'm seeing now, knew right away what the problem was. For me, it's because my body doesn't know how to metabolize some types of medications. The medication that caused my problem was Zoloft. Since my body doesn't know how to metabolize the medication, it gets rid of it through my skin via hair follicles. This is what is causing the stretchy white plugs for me, it's the medication that cannot be metabolized by my body coming out through my hair follicles. Since it comes out through the hair follicles, it's also causing the hair produced by these follicles to be abnormal. In addition to the stretchy white plugs, I was also pulling out super-fine hairy things. These super-fine hairy things is hair that has abnormally formed by these hair follicles and is growing under the skin. Anyway, I was super nervous about coming off the Zoloft, and don't encourage anyone to do it without talking to their doctor first, but I gradually stepped off of it over a 2 month period and have been off of it for 7 months now. I would say that my skin is 80% better. Most of the lesions have healed up, but have left some bad scars. The dermatologist said that it could take up to a year to undo all of the damage that has been done. I still have a ways to go, and I still have some stubborn lesions that have been there for years (there's one on my arm that I've had for 4 years), but things are slowly getting better. The diagnosis that she puts on my office visits is Prurigo Nodularis, but from talking to her, it's more than just that. The current treatment she has me on is to take an over-the-counter probiotic everyday (to help encourage the reopening of the enzyme pathways for metabolizing - her words, not mine), a Rx for Spironolactone 50 mg once a day, and she just recently added a Rx for Metformin 250 mg once a day.
I feel for all of you (and for me too), it's so hard to deal with something like this especially when doctors write us off and basically blame us for picking. I feel so fortunate that I have finally found a dermatologist who both understands what I am going through, and seems to understand what is going on with my body and what is causing these lesions.
I have been having this too! It's so satisfying to get them out. Didn't even know other people done this...lol. feels good knowing I'm not the only one. I was just looking up on how to get rid of them and came across this site. I have been a picker since I was a teenager I'm now in my early thirties and since I started in my teens there has not been a day that has went by that my face was clear. If I see a pimple I pop it. My 13 year old daughter even gets the rath....yes I pop her pimples and it is so satisfying. We have recently got into essential oils, and I'd say within a week our faces has gotten significantly better.
Allbetter, are you still using Manuka oil for the lesions? Or are your sores all healed now? How long do you use the manuka oil for? Please respond if possible. Thanks
All healed I mean are you still using the manuka oil? Or are your sores healed? How long did you put the oil on for? Please respond,
Thanks
To the person who used hibiclens are your sores all healed? Are you still using the hibiclens? Please respond I’m desperately trying to save my face.
Hi, Jersey1. Unfortunately, I have three little sores right now, but nothing like I've gotten in the past. So, I've changed my strategy a bit. I am still convinced these are some sort of wart, so I've been trying different natural wart treatments. I've gotten great results with aloe vera straight from the leaf. I have several plants and cut them when necessary. I swear you have to suffocate these things, and the aloe vera does just that. It makes new lesions (which can be very sensitive) very tight and dry. I try to use the aloe vera at night so it's on there at least 6-8 hours. It is SOOO hard not to pick when they are dry. So, then I put on the manuka oil, which seems to loosen whatever part of the scab is ready to come off. The combination of the aloe vera and manuka oil has helped tremendously.
Hi Allhealed,
I’ve been using the manuka oil and they have dried up quite a lot than other stuff I’ve used. And I’ve tried everything name it I’ve tried it. But it’s so hard not to pick like you said when they are dry. Today I washed with the hibiclens and then put some manuka oil on top of it. Ughhhh. What do you do about the post inflammatory hyperpigmentation? My skin has all these dark brown or purple marks and I’m miserable. Any suggestions?
Thanks
Jersey1 - You should really try the fresh aloe vera, along with the manuka oil. You can get your "pick-fix" by just removing what's already coming off. LOL. Just don't pick the stuff that hurts when you pull. I think that's the plug still stuck and, when you remove the top layer of that, you have to start all over again. If you get to that point, put on more aloe vera. I really think the aloe smothers it. For the dark spots, which I also experience, I've had really good results from the Moon Creme by NZ Fusion, which I buy on Amazon ($20.00 for a nice size jar). I've used their other products, but like the Moon Creme best. I've been using it for a while now and am very happy with the results. I really try to use organic, quality products, as I am simply not interested in side effects of any kind. I've also started taking a good vitamin. I believe that folic acid helps, too. I am also a terrible picker, especially if I'm stressed, and these things stress me horribly. I've never written anything online, but I know what you're going through.
Allhealed
Thanks for your help. Can you clarify do you put the aloe and then the manuka on top of the aloe? Thanks! Please answer soon
Sorry, this ended up in my spam folder, so I just saw it. I alternate during the day. I have not combined. I have days where my lesions are swollen and painful. On these days, I use the aloe to dry and shrink the sores. Once they feel better (don't hurt), I use the manuka oil. I have no step-by-step. I just use what makes it feel better that day. I also try to use nothing some days when I don't need to leave the house to give my face a break from everything. Sometimes, when I give into the picking, and my face hurts, I slather on a thick layer of the Moon Creme and that actually helps, too. You may find that one thing works better than another for you. I have used several things during one day. I just give them a couple hours in between. i sure hope you find some relief.
Sorry, this ended up in my spam folder, so I just saw it. I alternate during the day. I have not combined. I have days where my lesions are swollen and painful. On these days, I use the aloe to dry and shrink the sores. Once they feel better (don't hurt), I use the manuka oil. I have no step-by-step. I just use what makes it feel better that day. I also try to use nothing some days when I don't need to leave the house to give my face a break from everything. Sometimes, when I give into the picking, and my face hurts, I slather on a thick layer of the Moon Creme and that actually helps, too. You may find that one thing works better than another for you. I have used several things during one day. I just give them a couple hours in between. i sure hope you find some relief.
Hey..I have been suffering from this for over a year now. At the beginning I thought this was acne and picked at the first lesion until I somehow got it to heal. Now...a year+ after I have 8 lesions, they keep moving around the areas where the first ones started and when they finally heal they leave an awful scar. I have tried everything from tea tree oil, to manuka honey, antibacterial and antifungal ointments, etc. Stopping regular use of an steroid cream somehow helped. But I haven't been able to find a solution for this either.
Today I made a possible connection with something I haven't considered before and it is HPV, which was diagnosed to me a few months before and the symptoms, already treated. I looked it up and the symptoms of this virus on the face, match most of the symptoms we all describe here, they're called flat warts. I would like to know if any of you have been also diagnosed with HPV. Maybe that's it!
This things are destroying my life. Please help!
Carmen - If you look at my Nov 14 post, I say the same thing - it's warts. There are so many strains of the HPV virus that I would bet doctors aren't even familiar with all of them yet. That is also why acne, antifungal and antibacterial creams/treatments don't work. Since I've started to treat myself for warts/HPV, I've seen a huge improvement. If you know of anything to fight the HPV virus, please share.
I kept my research and the only thing that I could find was to treat them with imiquimod for no longer than 4 months (important not to treat them with this if they're open, apparently it is very very dangerous for that to enter your bloodstream), or apply benzoyl peroxide until they dissappear on they own. This last option sounds like it could take a while, but it is worth trying. I will be doing that and using a TCA peel, a chemical exfoliator method that is also formulated for warts.
I could not recommend with certainty any of these things because I just started the whole treatment. But I will keep you posted!
The only way I think to fight the virus itself is by improving the immune system, which I have been doing with daily vitamins and an immune booster. I've also had great results with aloe vera straight from the leaf. You can actually see the difference after one application. It seems the aloe dries the wart. I used aloe to kill a wart off my daughter's finger a while back and it worked, so I tried it on my face. You just can't pick or it will not heal.
Carmen - As I also told Jersey1, I've had good results with manuka oil (not honey) and NZ Fusion Moon Creme for scarring, which also has manuka oil. I really hope this helps someone else because I know how what you're going through. I've skipped parties because of the way my face has looked at times. It looks so much better now.
Hi, it’s a couple of months since I last posted. Firstly I’d like to comment on my current regime and secondly on the current theme of warts. 1. I’m still using all the tea tree remedies, Manuka Oil, smells like shit but has good ‘healing’ results and more recently I also use Germaline cream to reduce the pain. All of the above have skin healing properties and do work, but I believe are not cureing my underlying problem. This I think may be a hormone/immune imbalance. I have an appointment with a dermatologist early January. My doctor has recommended I take my microscope pictures with me. I will also like to note that I now have more of the ‘hard top’ type plugs than the steatchy ones and in the last week or so have noticed that what I would have previously recognised as the streatchy plugs are about 3 times bigger and more of a grey colour and when pulled out are ‘huge’ in relation to the top and leave a significant hole/depression in my face, sometimes they bleed profusely and sometimes not! I believe these plugs whatever they may be are dead or dying. My 2 sores are healing differently, again my belief is that this is due to the cyclic properties of the demodex infestation and that through my hygiene regime of tea tree washes I am managing other topical outbreaks from occurring, but it is a battle. 2. Warts! I do not believe in any way that my symptoms are similar to anything I have now read about these and the pictures I have looked at bare no resemblance to the ‘white streatchy pugs’ described by the original poster several years ago and my own symptoms. Please, please, research and review as many pictures as possible of your wart symptoms and compare to demodex infestation pictures, I cannot see any similarity. I believe the ‘wart’ issue is a medical condition on its own, while Demodex infestations are indicative of an underlying issue specific to the individual.
Anyway, I look forward to a frank and open discussion with the dermatologist and can only hope and pray that they are up to date with current medical discoveries and ‘open’ to full investigation of my issues and not too quick with the pen and prescription pad! Wishing you all a merry Christmas, and a beautiful clear skin new year.
Bikerchick - Please let us know what the doctor says. From what I see here, no one is certain of the cause and nothing has cured the problem. I don't think everyone in this discussion has the exact same issue, but every new theory can possibly help someone. Good luck, Merry Christmas, and I look forward to hearing your results.
I know this is an old post but, I’m replying anyway. I have done so much research online for the longest time and finally came to the conclusion that I have an infestation of demodex mites which is also a form of rosacea. It took me a good while to find a dermatologist that knew what I was talking about. (Rolling eyes) anyway, I finally found one and had my first appointment there today. Even though I’ve already tried just about everything for it already, even prescriptions from doctors, I’m willing to try again and hope this doctor gets it under control because I’m going freaking crazy. Soolantra, gentle face wash, gentle moisturizer, Differin gel, a good sunblock for sensitive skin, and Doxycycline. Might be something else. I can’t remember. Also, the derm told me the white things I’ve been pulling out aren’t the demodex mites like I thought. He actually doesn’t know. The nurse on the other hand thinks it is milia. That being said, I’ve dove research on milia and it looks nothing like it. (Rolling eyes again) I get regular pimples, huge cystic? pimples, blackheads, Whitehead’s, etc. anytime I pop anything I get a group of these white plugs and until I get them all out my scab won’t heal. Obviously I shouldn’t pop anything at all but it’s so freaking hard knowing these things are in my face just waiting for me to pull them out. Anyway, going to do my best to stop picking and follow this regimen and see this new derm in about a month. Hopefully I get this under control. Good luck to all of you! Hope you find something that works because I feel your pain.
Oh and I’ve noticed the huge painful bumps don’t appear unless I sweat. I try to avoid it altogether. I’ve been wearing hats, and just hanging out inside for the most part. Still get the little ones but better then those huge painful ones.
I also believe this is associated with hpv