Skin Picking Disorder 

“Why don’t you just stop” / “why don’t you just pick a less harmful compulsion” is the most annoying shit to get told especially when the other person is reacting with what feels like theatric disgust. Like yeah, this is what I want. This self correcting body correcting panic response where I have to try to claw the wrongness out of my hell skin is totally what I want to be doing with my time bro.

ME TOO RACHEL, IM SO HAPPY TO HEAR SOMEONE TALKING ABOUT THIS. I compulsively pick at my face, I don't usually go a day without trying to "correct" some sort of imperfection.

I do impulsively pick my skin and I didn’t even know this is a disorder. I just thought I can’t control myself well enough and was so disappointed or angry with myself every time…

I’m only five minutes in but I had no clue this was a disorder, I just thought it was something I did alone. If I get a bite on my legs or a cut or a scratch or anything like that I’ll scratch at it till it bleeds and when it scabs I’ll peel or pick the scab off. This stops it from healing and sometimes these cuts last months. I’ll keep picking the scabs off until the cut gets smaller and I can’t pick it off anymore. This is something I’ve been doing since early childhood (I’m 16 currently). I have 30 + visible scars on my legs from doing this to myself. I’m so embarrassed of my scars that I haven’t worn shorts or a skirt since I was 12. I’ve never done it on my face. I personally don’t consider it self harm because my mindset when I scab pick and my mindset when I used to cut are completely different although I understand why many do consider it self harm. This being said, when I was 13/14 and did cut myself I picked the scabs off of those too. I’m going to show my mother this video. Thank you Rachel for making this because I genuinely thought it was something only I had to struggle with.

I'm not an emotional person but I teared up watching this. I've never EVER seen anyone else admit to doing this on a large platform, let alone be so compassionate and thoughtful about it... Skin picking has been such an extreme source of shame for me since I was a preteen and at 22 I still struggle with it every day.

As someone who has trichotillomania, is almost a relief seeing someone talking about a similar disorder. So I'd just like to thank u Rachel for this video !! I really appreciate how honest and real your videos are! ❤❤❤

Omg "when being reprimanded by authority figures" it gets so much worse! My parents have used me as a therapist for years and I associate this with being reprimanded, so I'm just constantly picking as a way to get through it whenever I'm in a situation like that with them. It's TMI but it feels so cathartic to say in this safe environment! Thank you so much for bringing attention to something that's obviously so widespread but never talked about 💕

I'm a mental health therapist myself and I still struggle so much with this disorder. Thank you for dedicating a video to this, for being so open, and for normalizing this disorder to the general public. You're awesome :)

Today I learned that my lifelong compulsive skin picking is actually a disorder. When I was little, I used to sit in the bathroom for hours peeling the skin off the pads of my feet, sometimes using the pointy end of a floss stick to get under the skin to pull it up. Then, around age 10, I started getting acne, so that became my prime target. I picked at my skin mercilessly for years, all over my body, no pimple left untouched and no scab left intact. For years I would climb up on my bathroom counter and just go to town. I have gotten much better over the last couple years, with my acne finally healing and my skin clearing. My scars are healing, though sometimes I still relapse. A couple nights ago, for the first time in like 10 years, I had a callus on my heel and I gave into my instincts to pull it off. That lead to me sitting there for over an hour pulling the skin away until it hurt. For the past couple days I have struggled to walk on my heel, and to be totally honest, I feel very much ashamed. AND that shame I've been feeling caused me to do it again last night because it just sends you into this weird trance, nothing else is happening other than what you are doing to yourself in that very moment, you are in complete control. This is something that needs to be talked about more often, so we can know when to seek help. I see old pictures of myself from high school and I just think... I walked around with raw spots, scabs and scars all over my face like that thinking I looked totally normal??? Picking was a nearly nightly occurrence for me back then, and it's so noticeable, but I didn't even think twice about it.

This video actually made me cry, I’ve never met anyone else who has talked about this and I shared my story on your post the other day and sat reading what everyone else had written, you are so brave sharing your pictures and making things better for other people who feel alone with mental health problems and make it feel okay to be who we each are as individuals. Your honesty and compassion for others is so needed in the world right now 💗, it really did touch my heart this evening. I’ve so many new things to try now starting with the nails, Im planning little Halloweeny ghost nails as I type this 😊 xx thanks for being you.

Wait this is an actual thing? I’ve done this for years! Whenever I get spots or acne and picked them until the point where I have scars. I thought I was just weird but this is really eye opening. I’ve got scars on my chest from this and I’m really self conscious about it, thank you for making this video Rachel! 🙏

I’ve never clicked so fast. I must’ve missed the community post but I can say now that I’ve been dealing with severe dermatillomania for over half of my life. Im 22 and i remember doing this at 10-11 yrs old. Tried CBT and other forms of therapy but just like you, it’s a response to anxiety/stress. I definitely think now that this BFRB is a direct consequence of other various mental health issues that I’ve had to manage with medications for years. For me, my back, and shoulders have the most scarring and visible pigmentation from ripping off scabs that eventually left craters in my skin. Like Rachael said no spot in my body is off limits. I’ve never worn a bathing suit to the beach, I don’t wear anything sleeveless, I love dresses but feel like I can’t wear the styles I want to because of my skin. The worst part is the guilt and shame that comes up when I’m meeting someone new and while I crave intimacy, I feel disgusting and like it will make the person run away. It brings tears to my eyes to this day. At my worst I would have to throw out shirts constantly because they were saturated with blood spots. Sharing for anyone who’s been struggling with this - we are more than our skin, you’re not ruined, I’m with you.

I didn’t even realize this was a disorder, I just thought it was something I just sort of did. Especially the biting of the nails and the skin around the nails. Also the picking of scabs.

I have a family member who struggles with this, because of Autism. They have struggled with it their whole life and I never knew what to call it, or if it even had a name. I was recently educated about this, and I am so thankful for you sharing your story. I will be looking into the picking stone for this person.

Fun fact about me: as an eight -ish year old, I kept picking this spot on my scalp. In class. I think I was stressed. I would scratch and scrape and get blood under my fingernails. It was pretty nasty. At some point, I got a fungal infection. When I was at the doctor's, they put a scalpel or something to the area to get some skin for testing. The scratching feeling was oddly amazing. I almost tried to touch the blade, but nurses of course stopped me. I still pick at myself. And now, I try to pluck hairs from my legs. I like the hairs that just slide out of the skin without resistance. I also like the thicker hairs, the ones like cords sticking out from a sea of skin. Also, I like going at my pores. The idea that I can get the dead skin and whatnot out, leaving some empty pore, an empty hole..it excites me a little.

Rachel, I am a millennial who's had atrocious anxiety & stress all the way back to toddler age, I started exhibiting stress response symptoms about age 4. My mother is literally the female version of Trump, and since I was the first born in my family in my generation, and was disabled so much by age 16 that I was helpless to escape this toxic environment, watching all my siblings, cousins, aunts & uncles all move far away from her, leaving me as the bait, the scapegoat... I started peeling the dead skin off my heels by age 10, and would peel as much off as I could whenever it started cracking. I also have always had probs with cutting & other self harm (including using safety pins to puncture) around ages 14-18... When I was 27, the same year I had my first massive stress heart failure, my teeth started splitting apart & crumbling, not from poor hygiene (I had zero cavities before 23) but because I'd been clenching & grinding my teeth for 30yrs. By age 30, I was missing 3 teeth & was forced to go to a free clinic where they pulled ALL my teeth, which, with all the complications, took about 18 months. After 8 failed open back surgeries, all with complications, and 2 massive heart failures, losing all my teeth & ending up with no jawline, too horrified to smile or open my mouth in public (thanks to Corona for the mask mandates!) was by far the worst I went thru. Starting about 3yrs ago, the insane stress, anxiety & depression caused me to start a major OCD habit of plucking, complete with tweezers & a little 5x mirror, I stand in the bathroom for up to 1.5hrs, every few days, plucking every single eyelash & eyebrow hair possible. The eyelashes are particularly satisfying, better than picking, IMO. It's caused by having to fight tooth & nail, not just to medicate my dozen debilitating symptoms enough to stay out of the hospital, with nightly myoclonic seizures, nausea making me want to d!e 24/7, and the only thing I have to get my 3-4hrs a day of sleep in is a half-broken old Goodwill recliner, but also having to work my butt off & sell anything I can, just to try & cover my insane $400-450/month meds costs! It's really telling about America, that terminally ill patients have to be even more miserable, fighting to add enough to our pitifully small monthly income ($750 for a single girl who never had a chance at a job before I was disabled) so that we don't d!e even faster from POVERTY than from all these illnesses...

Oh my god it feels so good to hear Rachel talk about this because I always felt like a freak for having this. It's gotten better but I still sometimes have episodes and then end up feeling disgusting

I've had this for as long as I can remember, and combined with chronic acne since I was a teen has made my skin my biggest insecurity and affected my mental health and self esteem significantly. Makes me feel less alone to see so many people talking about it ❤️

I have trichotillomania and I always hugely appreciate people speaking up about their experiences with any BFRB

I have severe agoraphobia and haven’t left the house more than 10 times in the last 5 years.only have for dr appointments. I’ve only see 2 people and 1 of them knows about it. I hate that they don’t want to listen to me when they see it and only say “you need to stop that” & “why are you doing that” “you’re gonna end up with an infection” etc. It just makes me feel ashamed and mad at myself. Thanks for making this video Rachel.

I used to pick at my skin a lot while doing my skincare routine because the bathroom light shows all my spots and imperfections but I've found that if I just don't turn on the light I rarely pick. So that's something I can recommend to ppl who pick while washing their face.

I realized that my comment on your post was the first time I’d ever talked about my experience. Thank you so much for providing a safe and supportive place to discuss it, this was really eye opening

I'm struggling with this condition for over 20 years- ironic since I'm a esthetician and should know better. But it's almost like my profession made me even more aware of every little imperfection on my skin. I could sit and pick for hours at the skin on my face...it's definitly a stress release thing for me. I also used to chew and pick the skin on my fingers until they started bleeding when I was stressed without realizing it. Acrylic Nails helped to disrupt the compulsion unfortunately I still do it on my face. It's so frustrating.

I used to use a dental pick to poke into my pores before squeezing them. I did this as a kid and young teenager and had no idea it was disordered behavior. Thanks for being so open about this, Rachel! I relate so much.

Oh wow, I've struggled with this for years and never knew what it was called because I was always way too embarrassed to seek out information. I just felt a lot of shame around it. I tried coping by buying nicer clothes to cover the areas of my skin I was destroying. A lot of why I think I was doing it for a long time was because I've honestly really hated myself and my body for most of my life, and I wasn't caring for myself at all. I thought by buying nicer clothing, I could take a little pride in myself as well as be more mindful of the areas of my body because I didn't want to bloody new clothes. The way I experience this problem is definitely anxiety and depression related. It gets absolutely out of hand when I'm not mentally well. The clothing thing helped a bit, but it didn't eradicate the problem. Also, I remember doing the mirror poking and prodding you describe as young as 13. As a teen, I'd do it all the time. Trance-like state in front of the mirror for indeterminate amounts of time. I'd pick at my face, shoulders, back, thighs, and chest. I was also self harming with scissors and razors all through my teen years, so the two came up simultaneously. I was able to break free from the more overt self harm by the time I was about 19 or 20, but the skin damage behaviors are persistent. To this day, I still do it. I did it today, in fact, when I first woke up, before I was fully awake. I honestly hate it, and it gives me way more body inaecurity than I already have. X.x

I have been skin picking since I was a child. Focusing on my fingers and feet. I don’t even notice that I’m going it. I chew my lips to shreds when they’re dry. I never REALLY knew about dermatillomania until Colleen ballinger started talking openly about hers. Skin picking is super embarrassing and shameful for me. But I can’t help it. Its like a relief. I also suffer from trichatillomania and that’s a lot to deal with as well.

Yes, I have this. My whole back and shoulders have sores and my fingers look like those of a zombie. I have to say that the elation and positive rush you get when you pull off dead skin or pick on spots is so great, it is hard to describe and hard to let go when you are worrying. I can't give this up unless I had something equally elating and comforting to replace it, but there just isn't. Thanks for sharing this.

thank you so much for talking about this Rachel 😭 I've struggled with Dermatillomania and Trichotillomania since I was around 11. it means so much to me to see others talking about this more.

I actually have trichotillomania which is different but similar in some ways and I'm super glad someone like you is talking about these types of disorders because until recently I suffered alone without knowing so many other people have had similar experiences to me. Finding other people has really helped me get a boost in my personal recovery and realize i can truly recover 💗

Does anyone else obsessively pick at/for dry skin? That's what mainly triggers me. I pick at my scalp and face the most because of it

I have been struggling with trichotillomania since I was eight years old and I want to thank you for your honesty! Being honest and vulnerable is what makes human interaction worthwhile to me.

I want to say thank you one more time, Rachel, because I've been trying to work up the courage to tell my new psychiatrist about my picking and the myriad of related self destructive behaviors I have oscillated between throughout my entire life, and this is really making me feel braver. I so admire you for putting this out there... it's a scary thing to do, and I cant imagine being so public when I even lie and avoid the subject around my closest friends. Logically I understand how common and not-a-big-deal this is, but its wonderful to be able to truly see that here.

I’m soo happy you’re talking about it! I’ve been struggling with this since I was a little girl. I have scars all over my face because of it.

I love the fall because I can cover my arms. They are scarred and scabbed from years of doing this to myself as well. Lots and lots of dots. Lots and lots of years of not being happy with myself. I would literally sit and pick at it anywhere, at home, at the bus stop, at a friend's house, in my car after parking. And in the summer you can see it all because its so hot and my arms are exposed and I notice people looking sometimes. It stings a little bit but I no longer give too much weight to the thoughts or opinions of others. So thank you Rachel for your honest words. I'm a long time follower and I'm proud to see how far you've come!

I'm not even halfway through but seeing this video is such a relief. Don't get me wrong, it's terrible that you're going through this but it's also good to see that I'm not alone with this. I've suffered with an ED for almost 10 years, which led to self-harm and among other things, my self-harm manifested in picking my skin, biting my lips and also tearing off little pieces of skin on my finger tips. I was always so ashamed of my "bad skin" and always blamed it on acne/genetics/hormones/whatever, because I thought that what I was doing was somehow strange and weird and some people might even be disgusted by it. I'm just starting to learn that for me, this is also a way of self-harm and a symptom of my struggles with my body and self-image. Thank you for being so open about this topic! You're definitely making me feel seen and understood! ❤️

Oh my god... No one's ever talked about this! Me too. Me too. Thank you for bringing it to light. 🥰

I was literally picking at my skin and hair and biting my nails as I started this. It’s so nice to see this talked about in a non-clinical way, like from someone who has experienced it themselves. I personally don’t do it for self harm, but it’s kind of a compulsive thing to the point if I don’t take a shower every day I’m ripping up my skin like crazy.

This is going to sound mild compared to others here so I'm hesitant to even share it, but it's all I have that's relevant. I was a mustache and beard puller, stress and boredom triggered, but out of control enough to leave unsightly patches. In school it was the worst or at the computer, if I had a hand free, it would happen and I wouldn't even notice. Granted it's not painful or anything but to a man it is embarrassing. More of our confidence and masculinity than we'd like to admit is tied to our hair, beards included. I never knew how light I got off, this disorder sounds terrible and I feel for you all. Rachel, thank you for all the mh videos, your bravery and openness is a constant inspiration. Also please show us your Legos, they rock.

Watching this in tears the entire time. Empathy and collective strength is exactly what I needed today, and this struggle is all too relevant for me. Thank you for making me feel less 'broken', especially the part about going to the transfixed state

I've had this ever since I was a small child. I remember at as young as 5 years old picking every single mosquito bite into terrible scars and getting yelled at for it. I'd lie that it was itchy when in reality it wasn't anymore. Only a few years ago did I find that this is a disorder with a name and that other people struggle with it aswell. Thank you for your video and raising awareness Rachel!

I will be open about my situation as well, i love that you shared this with us, because i struggle with this too. There have been days where it hurts to walk and hold a pen, I completely understand what you are going through, thank you for sharing this with all of us!

Love this video!!! Thanks for bringing attention to this and being SO open with your experience, definitely helps me feel less alone. I’ve had this issue since 6th grade, and dealt with bad acne for several years so I really, REALLY damaged my skin…. I have some deep scars, I think they’re called ice pick scars or something like that? And those are really hard to fix when you don’t have thousands of dollars to go to a professional for help. It’s damaged my skin and damaged my confidence and it sucks. I have body dysmorphia and anxiety which fuel this habit the most I think. Thanks for sharing and making me feel less weird and ashamed about it.

Rachel, I had a similar problem with me and food. Whenever I was in a Poor mental state, are used to just binge on food. This habit started during my adolescent and I used to binge on junk food for minutes and hours at a stretch. And that’s how I gained a lot of weight. I never had too many friends. I just had on fake people around me and that’s how my self-confidence reduced and my emotional dependency on food became higher. After I realised that I am eating too much I’m getting fat, I started to smoke in my college days and became a habitual smoker. Now I am fine and I make a conscious effort not to eat too much or give at least 3-4 hours gap. I still do smoke sometimes. Fortunately, I have the will power to quit smoking for weeks and months at a stretch. But when I do I am in a trance like state. It’s like a big relaxation for your mind and heart even though it’s damaging in the long run. I also have a similar problem regarding nail biting and picking the dead skin of my nails until it bled painfully. I nowadays carry a nail cutter with me to work so that I don’t end up biting my nails and cuticles. I am so glad that you are talking about such issues. It’s so comforting listing to you. Thank you so much ❤️

Thank you for sharing this, Rachel. I have trichotillomania. I started messing with my hair and scratching my scalp when I was around 12 years old, and that evolved into picking any hair on my scalp, face, or eyebrows, that felt “out of place” (in ways that are hard to describe. It couldn’t be just ‘any’ hair). I honestly thought it was just a weird thing I did until a friend of mine sent me a link to an article about trichotillomania. I didn’t realize he, or anyone, noticed. I, like you, would bring tools into the situation: tweezers, razors (to dig into parts of my scalp that became swollen from pulling) and various other things. When I am able to recognize and stop a “session”, I’ll use isopropyl alcohol to sanitize the areas, and because it felt good. Even though it’s ultimately destructive, for me it feels like a self-soothing behavior I do while I’m idle and kind of in a fog. Since being medicated for other things (panic disorder/bipolar disorder), my episodes are shorter and farther apart.

not even 30 seconds in but thank you for making this video, I constantly compulsively pick at my lips which destroys them, and as a kid me and my brother would compulsively pick at our hands and feet. there was a time in high school when I had stopped but it couldn't have been for more than 6 months, as a 21 year old im really glad to know this is a real thing not just me. its always been an anxiety thing (not related to my body dysmorphia) and sometimes if I try and stop my hand will shake. its just been a totally subconscious thing for a while now, you hand just does it. I can stop if I have something better to do but five minutes later there's that hand on my mouth again.

Thank you for talking about this. I’ve been struggling with this for years and it means a lot to see so many people sharing this experience. I really want to quit, thank you for sharing these strategies I’ll be trying them out and I really hope this time I’ll finally be able to get over it. I just hate having so many scabs and swollen spots all over my face, shoulders, chest and arms. I want to be able to go out with off-the-shoulder clothing and without makeup and not feel both uncomfortable about my skin and the compulsion to pick. This video helped me realise that this really is a problem and isn’t a non issue like I’ve always been brushing it aside as.

As someone who has struggled with this for as long as i can remember, i really appreciate you sharing your story. it made me feel a lot less alone and i think i even learned some thing about myself watching this video. thank you.

I saw the thumbnail and immediately clicked. Been dealing with it since I was a kid and not many ppl talk about it. Thank you so much for being so public with this Rachel!

Really appreciate your bravery and candor! As a long-time sufferer from the cousin compulsive disorder trichotillomania, it's enlightening to hear just how many people are so similarly anxious and picky. My leverage over the disorder is to reflexively jump to conscientious mode and think about how I'll look if I pick and how I'll look if I don't, thereby reinforcing the better behavior. Of course if the fidget need is even greater than the vanity need, I just find other items to fidget with until the need's passed.

aaaaa so glad to see someone speaking on detmatilomania/excoriation disorder! i’ve been struggling with it, dermaphagia (skin biting), onychophagia (compulsive nail biting), and other body focused repetitive behaviours for about eight or nine years now (nail biting for double that). my bfrbs flare up in response to my body dysmorphia and generalized anxiety, and even though i’ve been in therapy for _everything_ for over a year now, it still takes up so much of my life. that wrongness always feels so all consuming, but the consequences (and scarring) lasts and creates this continuous cycle. there’s so much shame and stigma surrounding it, so it’s lovely to see more people being so open about their experiences with it too

I think I'm lucky that my sister also deals with it--so I never thought I was alone, even if I do it worse on my face and her on her arms, so mine's a lot more visible. Trance-like state is the best way to describe it for me, too. We both started around puberty, still doing it in our 30s. One of the nice things about this pandemic is that at least when I make a mess of my face I don't feel like I can't go out in public, I can just slap on a mask and hide most of it.

Thank you for talking about this. I’ve been struggling with this for years and hardly seen anyone say anything about it. I’m not glad I’m the only one suffering with this but I’m relieved to know I’m not alone in it. I’ve always felt so weird about it even though I can’t help it and the whole being reprimanded by authority figures really resonates with me. My parents always tell me to ‘stop doing that’ without asking me why or actually trying to help me. It’s not that I don’t want to leave those scratches and spots alone, I just constantly feel the urge to prod at them and I always give in. I’m not even conscious of doing it half the time.

1. Thank you for the video! 2. Thank for always having Kyra on!!! She's such a cutie and I really appreciate seeing her cuddle up with you (especially since all of my dogs are really far away rn T^T)

I've struggled with this since I was 8 years old. It tends to come out when I'm anxious/depressed. I had no clue so many people had this problem, as well. This makes me feel so much less alone. Thank you for this, Rachel.

I am always astonished about how effing much we have in common, Rachel. So glad I found your channel. One day I would love to get a chance to actually talk to you in person. We would have so much to talk about and to share.

I clicked the instant I saw the title, thank you Rachel! I've picked my skin for so many years, later years my legs and they are full of scars. It's not even that there's a ingrown hair or anything from the beginning, i just pick at my skin. I do this when I'm stressed, i can sit for 45min-1h just staring at my skin, picking, often with a flashlight for better view of my non-existing "imperfections". I never knew this was a disorder, I was just ashamed thinking it's just me.

i love how you use your platform to talk about alll different important topics, i have a feeling i may have this disorder. but it is only my scalp and i cant stop but only when im stressed/thinking a lot at night, so i dont know if that counts.

Thank you for making this video. It's such a struggle to deal with on a daily basis. Anxiety brings on the picking, picking causes stress and the cycle continues. People never talk about it, but when they do it's usually negative. Thank you again for helping us feel less alone.

thank you so, so much for making this video. the community tab alone made me feel so much better and less alone and less weird as well too. but now i have something to show my bf when he asks where i got all my scars from. i appreciate this video so much. thank you rachel

I didn't even know this was a thing. Thank you for doing this video, such a detailed one, and with examples with your mental health. I can finally address and understand this behaviour. Now that I check pictures of myself in diferent periods of my life, it is night and day. Now I must find coping mechanisms to stop doing this. Thank you so much for being so honest and upfront

Colleen Ballinger recently shared a really emotional video about her struggles with Derma. It's great to see people finally talking about this. If I had seen this as a teen / 20 something, I might not have felt so alone.

Thank you for making a video about this, it can’t have been easy to look back on those difficult times. People need to know they’re not alone when they’re struggling with stuff like this 💕

hey Rachel, I struggle with trichotillomania, and Im glad you made this video!! mirrors trigger me too, and I usually have to keep mine covered/away so I can avoid hair pulling. some solutions you suggested sound very interesting, I'll try them out! thank you so much for talking about this :)

Oh YEES THANK YOU FOR TALKING ABOUT THIS! i have to hide my arms and my back all the time cause i've been so stressed out lately and picked them so bad last week. It's so easy to someone to say "just stop, try to find another thing to do", but it's like our hands have their own mind and we can't stop them so easily. Dermatillomania needs more attention!

I've been dealing with various types of BFRBs since early childhood and I'm very grateful you're talking about it. I only learned there was a word for it and that it was a disorder in 2020, and it helped me not to feel like a freak for engaging in these behaviours anymore. I'm glad you're bringing visibility to it ^^

Thank you! your skin looks so great in your videos i never would have guessed! I suffer from diagnosed Trichotillomania and Dermatillomania. Ive destroyed my skin and balded half my head in under a week. the Dermatillomania has always been a thing. My hubs gets mad at my because i am always picking at my face or legs with tweezers. Its a mixture of everything but my autism is apparently the root of it all. It's nice to see someone like you (so relatable), talking and educating on this. Defiently helps me not feel so alone and may help people try and find why they may be doing it. Cant get better in any sense until your willing to accept whats happening and its hard to do that without knowledge and understanding yourself.

RACHEL….I DO THIS TOO. I LOVE YOU, AND I AM SORRY YOU DEAL WITH THIS. BUT I AM SUPER HAPPY TO SEE IT DISCUSSED!!!!! 💕💖❤️💕❤️💖❤️

This is so relieving to hear others experiences, because I have just this summer started to realise how much I do this and how bad it gets when I'm at my worst.

Rachel I really, from the bottom of my heart, appreciate you opening up so much about this and informing me that it’s even a thing. I don’t even know what else to say. Just…thank you so much. ❤️

I'm so happy that you're talking about this! I also appreciate the OCD visibility since it is such a misunderstood disorder. It's so difficult to stop picking my skin and has been a battle for 20+ years. But I try 💪🏻

I have trichotillomania and it’s been horrible lately. I’m pretty insecure about how uneven/not smooth and shiny my hair is. I would just shave my head but I have a bald spot from when I was a baby lol.

This has been an issue for me for the last 9-10 years. Thanks for bringing attention to this!

I didn't even know this was a thing. I have seborrheic dermatitis and I tend to pick at my face a lot when I'm stressed/anxious. I thought it was just a symptom of my anxiety. Edit: The lip and nail biting is so relatable too. My lips are pretty much always cracked, chapped and bleeding, especially during the winter time because of the dry weather.

wow thank you so much for this. i have been picking my skin since childhood- i have ocd and skin issues on my arms. my teachers used to yell at me in elementary school for picking at my arms for so long instead of doing my work. i feel like a weirdo for this and it’s so nice to see someone talking about it and so many people in these comments saying they relate❤️

NO WAY I also struggle with this! Haven’t watched the video yet but thank you so much about speaking about this topic!! It takes a lot of courage …

I’ve seen your videos on my recommended from time to time and watched them. This video reassured One a bit, I’m not alone with the struggle that is life. Thank you for sharing this… now, apologies if I drone on too much. This video hit me right in the feels, and was very awakening to One’s mental health issues. I too, have OCD tendencies and Autistic to boot, so I end up just hiding away from the world because I feel everyone is looking at me and my hideously picked on face. I feel like people think I’m a crack addict whom is in denial. This year, has been particularly bad as I’m fighting to get a diagnosis for the crippling pain I’m in everyday. One of my other family members was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and they have all the same symptoms as me. Coming to terms with this realisation has been so hard. I’ve had my fair share of shit thrown at me mentally from a very young age. I picked at everything when I was a teenager, because my father would tell me I was the fat kid of the family. I ended up in 2 shit relationships in my early 20’s, and finally I’m alone with my children. Finally diagnosed Autistic (after my children were also) it kinda answers the reason why I never could make any good friends like the rest of my family. I have difficulty “reading between the lines”.

I didn't even realise this was a thing and here I am like, shit I do this! It's so nice to hear someone talking about this. I love your content Rachel! Also have a little black staff! So cute🥺💓

Wasn’t expecting this video but SO glad you made it! I’ve picked the skin on my lips since I was a toddler. I go through cycles constantly of picking my lips to the point of bleeding, pain, scabbing and then I manage to let them heal with Vaseline, etc. but I always end up back in the cycle when they’re healed again. 🙁 I know I should keep my nails short as that seems to help in a way at least that the damage isn’t as bad. I have a friend who also has it and she swears by press on nails to avoid picking because it’s harder for her to pick with them.

To the extent of picking at things like pimples, dry skin, and scabs, yeah I do that probably too much. That said, if there isn't something like that to focus on, then in those cases no. EDIT: jeez I don't think I've had anything escalated to quite that extent, worst I've ever had would be either when I was in school and had some really bad breakouts on my face (I remember once bursting what I now suspect was a small abscess on my cheek, basically it was like an extended pimple over something stretched over like a half-inch or so), or more recently when a pimple or whatever on my leg was a harbinger of a vascular disorder that resulted in 1-2 inch wounds requiring penicillin and bandages (it actually went on for a few months I procrastinated going to the doctor where I finally got the penicillin). Wearing compression socks now and I need to get off my bum and exercise...

It makes me so happy to see this shared. So many people open up about anxiety and other things but most people don't even touch this one

I have this too. Nice to see someone I look up to talking about this. I wont be watching the video because I've been doing well and I dont want to be triggered. Still, thank you for making me feel less alone

I have eczema, autism and anxiety and while that isn't the same thing that you have, I can't BELIEVE just how much I can relate and just... understand what you're saying. I've never really been able to relate to others about skin issues like this, so thank you Rachel for making this video - the video honestly made my cry a bit. Came here to learn about a totally random disorder that I saw recommended to me, left here feeling a sense of... relatability in seeing that I'm not the only one going through stuff like this.

Sitting here with a pair of tweezers when this popped up in my notifications. I feel a little called out ☹️

Literally just wrecked my face this morning :( thank you for bring awareness to this, Rachel!

I "cured" my nail biting about 3 years ago. I can still find myself chewing on the skin around my nails at times, but even that is WAY better than before. The best thing I can do is get rid of any snag with clippers asap or I want to chew it off so bad! I did mess up and but a thumbnail, and it took a month before I stopped chewing it and could clean up the snags and regrow the dang thing. I've also been able to stop picking my arms out of shear willpower.

I've had this in my watch later since you posted it but was too scared to watch it. I'm finally ready to listen and accept this is something I've done for 8 years and your empathy made me feel so much better. Thank you Rachel

I legitimately didn’t know this was a thing. I guess now I can put a name to what I’ve been dealing with for years.

I now have a word for the thing I’ve been struggling with for so many years. Thank you for raising awareness!

Wow, I’ve never known what was wrong with me before now. One of my good friends has always struggled with trichotillomania and I’ve always understood her feelings of anxiety relating to it even though I didn’t have it. I wasn’t aware of dermatillomania until today. have minor skin picking issues with most of my face, but it’s really bad on my fingers and lips. It always has been. I didn’t know other people did this, and I didn’t know it was common with anxiety disorders. I find I do it when I’m highly anxious at work. I have a highly stressful job that can go from hours of boredom to hours of non stop business. I’m an art student, so when it’s slow I sketch, but when it’s busy And I can’t, I tend to bite my lips under my mask or pick at my fingers. I honestly think I’d be doing it to my face just as much if I thought people wouldn’t notice me in the act at work. Although it gets bad when I’m stressed or depressed, I find the habit persists even when I’m having a good day. For example, I had one of the best days I’ve had in a while yesterday, and I still made fingers bleed several times. Thank you for this video, it’s nice to not feel alone with this habit and to start to figure out ways to curb this behaviour.

i have this compulsion as well, my doctor has said it's an OCD tendency. i tend to pick when i am especially anxious or stressed. if i cannot pick or i am stopped (it is for my own good) i feel upset. when i pick, i keep telling myself "just one more". thank you for bringing light to this rachel. nobody thinks that there are underlying issues with things like these, that it can just be stopped.

Second comment just to say: We NEED cute Kyra bloopers at the end of every video!!!

i'm so happy you feel comfortable sharing this. i personally don't have dermatillomania but I constantly bite my lips and gums - i can't even remember when I first started doing it but it's mainly when i'm bored or anxious. I always kind of thought it was probably an result of my anxiety but never thought to try and stop myself, but this video has made me think about actively trying to stop my behaviour. It's not a bad thing to have any BFRB but I hope that i can channel my anxiety into other coping mechanisms :)

As somebody with dermatillomania AND trypohobia, imagine my disappointment when I Google image searched Picking Stones. 😂 I'm really glad they exist and I think the concept is so cool but I should've paid closer attention to your description of them.

no way i’ve been struggling with this with so long and felt so alone and embarrassed about it, thank you so much for sharing your experience.

Wait, what? This is an actual disorder? I thought it was just a thing everybody did. So there are people who DON'T pick at their skin? Or at scabs and blemishes at the least. Seriously. I can't even imagine not at least feeling tempted, I know some people don't pick at stuff but I've always just assumed they have a lot stronger willpower than me.

This is such a thoughtful video to make, thank you Rachel! You're so compassionate and I love that. I've compulsively picked the skin on my lips my whole life, I'm 34 years old. Everything you mentioned rings true for me. Anxiety triggers, picking to the point of bleeding and pain, etc. I found lip gloss that I adore YEARS ago, and I am always super well stocked. I slather it on whenever I notice I'm picking or sore, not only does it prevent me from picking but it also soothes and moisturizes my lips, helping to heal them. It's slightly mentholated and minty, so it's very soothing. That's all I've found to help. Thank you for discussing this issue!!

Its hereditary. Its OCD. Its NOT SELF HARM at all!! People with this would do ANYTHING to stop and do not seek endorphins or pain. Its compulsive self-grooming. The skin is a complex organ that connects us on a sensory level to our world. Anyway, if you purposefully "groom/pick" it changes your brain and relieves anxiety. It's nothing like self-harming in its nature. 6 direct members of my family have it and I have it. One thing that's been temporarily successful for me was to have my hands manicured and my nails painted with thick polish. I dont cause as much damage.

Thank you for talking about this! Sorry I can't watch all the way through, but I'm noticing a compulsive desire to check my skin in the mirror for "flaws", so I'm going to step away for now, catch you next time 💜

TW: Self harm So it has a name then ? When I read your post on Instagram I kind of went like „yeah I know that“, and after this Video I do relate quite strongly to it. I got a over ten years long history with self-harm (and I am turning 21 next month). And my „favorite“ method always was scratching myself, rather than cutting or stuff. And even though I have it quite good under control, I just can’t stop picking when I got some wound or some stuff. If I get a scratch or something like that, I will always re-open it and re-open it and re-open it. I remember when I had a really small wound from a soft air accident, that literally stayed of 8 weeks cause I picked it again and again. I still have a scar on my leg from that, even though it wasn’t a big wound and didn’t even really bleed. I only noticed how bad it was when my bf (who used to self-harm as well) started stopping it whenever he noticed. Until than, I didn’t even get the link between selfharming and picking. Also I really understand the nail thing. I have naturally dry skin on my hands and therefor often have those skin flaps (English is not my first language, so I don’t know how you call it) around my nails. I always chew them and stuff like that, which of course doesn’t really help it 😂 I don’t really know how to end this, so thanks for reading I guess 😂 I hope you all do good in this strange times!

Thank you so much for this video Rachel!!! I'm sure it will help a lot of people cope and it's very educational for all others, who might never have heard about dermatillomania! Always love your content! Take care!