đŽ Skin Picking can be a Disorder - An Expert Explains Why & How To Stop
VloĆŸit
- Äas pĆidĂĄn 7. 06. 2024
- Skin Picking? Expert Explains Why & How To Stop -- happy acne awareness month bbs! For a full 30 min interview with Dr Ahmed, feel free to explore Patreon as well has her instagram page! / cassandrabankson / the_psychodermatologist
Sensitive skin? Here are some skincare recs: www.amazon.com/shop/cassandra...
A huge thanks to Dr Ahmed for sharing her expertise with me on this! thepsychodermatologist.com/dr...
đŠ rebrand.ly/BeABeautifulButterfly Turn the like button blue, and make the SUBSCRIBE button gray if you want new videos on the science of skincare, cosmetic chemistry and inspiration! (It's free and helps me create free content to help you embrace your beauty!) đŽ rebrand.ly/BeABeautifulButterfly Join our Inspirational Beauty Community by posting videos or photos with the Hashtags #BeYOUTiful #skincare #skinfluencer
My Skincare Shelf & favorite products for different skin types: shopmyshelf.us/cassandrabankson
đ Exposing Photoshop, Skin Science & Acne Positivity Instagram Here: / cassandrabankson
Cassandra Approved: All our approved products and skin stories, in one place! / cassandraapproved
đ 30 Seconds skin tips, motivational quote s and Twitter Thoughts Here: / cassbankson
đ» More inspiring Skin Stories, my cats, and weekly live streams on Facebook / sincerelycass11
đŠ Skin Science, Cosmetic Chemistry, Healthy Body & Beauty Advice Here: www.cassandrabankson.com
đ Skincare Advice, 60 Second Brand Reviews, & Skincare Routines on TIK TOK / cassandrabankson
Join the Patreon for exclusive live q&a's, updates, skincare nights and more! / cassandrabankson
Skincare Recommendations & Favorites From Amazon:
www.amazon.com/shop/cassandra...
đŽ Although I have over 1000 videos on skincare and acne I realized sometimes it's still hard for people to remember which acne products I recommend, vs those that I think are a waste of money! I decided to create this helpful skincare list of breakout and other skin products that are acne-safe, that I personally recommend and put them all in one place! I hope you find this helpful- enjoy! Check out Skincare + Clearing Acne on Amazon! rebrand.ly/AmazonSkincare
My Skincare Shelf & favorite products for different skin types: shopmyshelf.us/cassandrabankson
On this channel, we believe in leaving this world a better place than we entered it. Please consider donating to feed school children meals through Food For Life Global, supporting animal rights through Juliana's Animal Sanctuary, and planting trees to save rainforests and valuable ecosystems. Please consider giving a gift card to someone you love, and/or donating to the Om Guarantee omguarantee.com/om-guarantee-...
Copyright Disclaimer: As permitted Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976 US Copyright Office, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, comedy, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. The term and usage of "Fair Use" is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Usage in the context of non-profit, educational, research, news, or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.
â· This video is not sponsored or influenced by any brand :) Having the opportunity to create and share enlightening content is another reason I'm so grateful for youtube as a platform, the opportunities life presents us, and your love and support as part of my youtube family!! In some cases, I post affiliate links that ultimately support the content provided. By no means should you ever feel obligated to use these links, but know that if you do purchase through any of them, you are contributing to spreading the message of positivity, self-love, and self-care that is expressed on this channel. Your love, support, and involvement in this youtube family is very much appreciated. Thank you always!
_______________________________________________________________
đŠ You are beYoutiful inside and out; I love you!
Yes, skin picker... perfectionist, neat, and anxious about how I look. I love cleanliness, so in my mind, it feels like I am removing the dirt when I skin pick. I do it subconsciously. When I am done, I regret it. I go to bed with gloves on sometimes. My face looks worse because of the picking but most of the time I don't learn. It's even happening on my upper back, chest and shoulders because I can reach these areas. I've tried a lot of methods to trick me out of the behaviour but it is hard. It's like I want something to clean or fix. Even if my skin clears up I end up looking desperately for something to pick because I want to fix it even more, even if I know the picking didn't fix it.
I can so relate to everything youâve said. I want to get those âstuff outâ đ©
Same, although Accutane cleared up my acne (and I've managed to stop picking my face and back) I still feel the need to pick so I re-opened the scars on my shoulders. Now I've also started picking on my butt cheeks, so not going to wear a swimsuit anytime soon...
It just feels like a compulsion to make the skin smooth and if it's a bump it needs to be emptied đŹ
Omg I'm the same. The look on my shoulder is so embarrassing, I never wear sleeveless tops because of it. It is always covered up. And my legs... I wear knee high socks to cover the unsightly scars and pigmentation.
I had this to, specially in my arms where i have keratosis pilaris and end up picking. I started to wear long sleeves more often (some fabrics are light and thin, can be worn even in summer). Another idea is to try to keep your hands ocupied with something, working with smth, artistic or not. If you're about to skin pick, you can also try rush to put on a facial. Also another thing i noticed, when i did gel nails for a while, i could not skin pick anymore, as it hurted the nail beds everytime i went to do it. Also the nails were a bit more thick then my usual nail so i ended up not being able to pimp anything out. It made me stressed for a while until i realised it was good to control my skin picking. Anyhow, hope something helps đ best of luck
omg Iâm crying - I do the same. When I am controlled I just do it on my scalp or hands. But lately I pick so much that my whole back and part of my arms are affected so I have to use shirts with sleeves and clothes that can hide blood from the scabs đą
Iâm a skin picker. Iâm so stressed and woke up and told myself, âmy skin looks pretty good today!â Now, Iâll be going to bed so ashamed of myself for giving into the picking. Im afraid what itâs going to look like in the morning⊠đ
Boy do I know that one. Sorry you are suffering with this maddening compulsion as well.
yes omg, and i feel so guilty because i know its making my skin worse, but i cant stop. Im about to go to sleep and i have so many spots that i picked at and now its worse than before.
Same đąđđ
Your not alone. Stay strong
Same đđđ
I have SEVERE skin picking issues. My whole body hurts and is full of scars like it's not normal anymore. I feel like i have no control over myself and it is really affecting my life. But this video really helped me, i did not skin pick for the last 4 days. I know this does not sound like much for some people, but for me this is a big achievment
Itâs actually NOT easy to stop! Whenever Iâm stressed⊠thatâs how I deal! I donât over eat⊠I got to the bathroom(for hours), and damage myself.
I sit in the mirror and tell myself Iâm loved, Iâm a wife, mom, friend, and beautiful woman. And, still even if I donât have a pimple I find a way to âdamageâ myself and wake with a bunch of red marks the next morning⊠depressed and broken. I never know why I do it tho. Stress⊠tiredness. Overwhelmed?!
Have you seen a psychologist or psychiatrist because it seems to me you require specialist help. I am seeing a psychologist as well as a psychiatrist after being diagnosed with personality and mood disorders. It has affected my ability to work hence I'm in therapy.
Your blackheads and whiteheads will naturally come up to the surface. When they do wash your face and donât put moisturizer to fry them out. Then you can pick them gently and they fall off. I used to do the same. I remember my friend saying it looked like I got attacked by bees prematurely squeezing and using tweezers to beat the development of blackheads.
Remember nobody is looking that closely at your face.
This sounds like skin picking is like cutting for you.
I've struggled with excoriation disorder for 13 years--half my life. Acne exacerbated my skin picking to such an extreme that I couldn't date, visit friends, or even attend school. For me, this disorder was debilitating and stole much of my youth. Cognitive behavioral therapy and SSRIs helped reduce the urge to pick. I still relapse occasionally, but I feel (and look) healthy now.
happy for you! stay strongđ
That's so sad đ, before the video, i didnt even know that this was a disorder to this point. Glad you're better now, just keep appreciate yourself, dont give up, ever, and keep focusing on positivity even the smallests things in life (like the inventor of the hair brush...... dont know who this guy is, but im so happy he existed!... Are you not??) đâ€
Bravo đ
Thank you for your story đđŒ and same here đą it is such a struggle and it stops you from living a normal life đđ
Thank you for sharing. What you shared is 100% accurate for me. 13 years. Iâm turning 27 this month.
Itâs so comforting to see a video like this and to have everyone commenting their own experiences and realise this is a more common thing than most people realise. Iâve been plagued with this condition since I was a child and it has been the bain of my existence for over 10 years.
I specifically remember when it started. I was 10 or 11 years old and I was going to a football match with lots of my family and friends. But I had this big pimple on my chin. Being a literal child at the time it didnât bother me but my mum said it looked ugly and insisted on popping it for me and then covered up the redness with concealer. I think from that moment I was subconsciously taught that thatâs what you do when you get pimples, you pop them. I donât blame my mum for it but she accidentally triggered a condition in me that would plague me into my adult years.
As I became a teenager and got more and more spotty I picked my face to death. I specifically remember being in a hotel one night sitting on the bathroom counter with my face millimetres from the mirror and picking my face until 4am!!!! Iâd picked my face solid for about 6 hours and picked so bad I was digging into nothing but pure flesh and I had blood dripping down my face.
Itâs really damaged me emotionally. I also remember when I was⊠I donât know maybe 15 or 16 coming to my parents and asking to see a therapist for the issue I had with picking my skin. My mum told me I was being ridiculous⊠my dad thankfully sat me down and had a long talk with me and tried to help me but talked me out of therapy.
Iâm now 26 years old and to this day I am still suffering with skin picking. I amazingly donât have any bad permanent damage I donât think from all the years of picking. I donât have any bad scars or pitted skin. I adore skincare and I can tell my skin is in really good shape if I could just quit picking⊠Iâm nowhere near as bad as I used to be but I still fall off the wagon on the regular⊠Iâll be able to go a few days without picking then sometimes the mirror just gets me and there I am an hour later with a red face.
Iâm really trying to stop because Iâm sick of being an adult who has so much potential for good skin if she could just stop picking every tiny white head and squeezing every single sebaceous filament out of her face!!
Iâve realised my biggest trigger is the light we have right above the mirror in our bathroom. Because itâs directly above the mirror the angle of the light shining down on my skin Iâve found out can show up shit that isnât even really there! It really shows up everything on my skin and just isnât flattering. So Iâve learned now when Iâm going to do my skincare and I need the light on I turn off the mirror light and put on the main bathroom light which is on the ceiling behind me when Iâm at the mirror. This provides nice even lighting that doesnât show up all the nonexistent bad stuff on my face and itâs been helping. I also need to try to catch myself when Iâm looking in the mirror. Iâll often lean right over the bathroom sink or right up to the mirror in my bedroom and start analysing my skin and I realise Iâm literally looking for something to pick! Sometimes I manage to be aware of it and snap myself out of it but sometimes I still slip up.
Itâs such a difficult addiction and habit to break out of but Iâm trying! Iâm sick of wasting hours in the mirror and the shame the next day when I have to wake up and be afraid to see my reflection to see how much damage I did the night before. Itâs just not worth it. This video is right we end up missing out on life because of this. Iâve distinctly cancelled plans and said no to things because I felt like I looked too bad to be seen.
Hopefully one day weâll all get the skin we want â€ïž
I really relate to your story. My picking started the same way actually and I too had issues with bathroom lighting that made me pick incessantly. I do have some pitted scaring from when I was a child and didnât know better, but Iâve learned to accept that and I do think itâs probably treatable. I now started seeing a derm and we will address the scaring once the acne is controlled. Iâve gotten so much better about picking and try to keep myself from ever getting too close to the mirror. I try to remind myself that literally no one is looking at me THAT closely lol.
Omg I felt it so deeply when you described waking up the next day and checking the reflection to see how bad it was! I do this too đą sucks to have this. Just a few days ago I picked really badly at one specific spot and I was so relieved the next day because the redness was not as bad as I thought it would be! Thanks for sharing this, I really feel normalized in this comment section and Iâm so glad to have similar people here â€
You are so powerful for sharing this. I can relate to the point with parents a lot. Popping also has been a norm always, so I thought thatâs the only way you can handle skin imperfections. And then when I would have scars from popping a d picking pimples, my parents would comment âlook what you did to yourselfâ as if I could stop that easily⊠I feel better now luckily. But still lapsing sometimes
You're doing great but being really aware, sharing this, and doing some things to stop. I think eventually you will get better at stopping... something that has to trigger you to say enough is enough. I hope you get there. I did. I think this video helped me realise I had a problem. I took steps to stop.
damn i came here wanting to leave a comment about dermatillomania/excoriation disorder and am pleasantly surprised to see that this video is about it... thank you for raising awareness. people really don't understand that it's a serious issue (and a newly discovered one, apparently). it has ties to ocd so it's like seriously impossible to stop without help
I was actually getting emotional watching this video. I skin pick and had no idea it was even considered a disorder. I have adhd and have been skin picking since my acne started to flare up (probably due to stress/hormones) and to hear that so many other people go through this makes me feel a lot less ashamed about it. Finally scheduled an appointment with a dermatologist after a year of trying it on my own, so Iâm excited to be able to add this to the conversation!
i felt like i had to take deep breaths a squint my eyes like i was in pain. I hate skin picking. I literally just went in the bathroom and pulled off scabs on my face and now I look horrible.
Ive literally done it for as long as i remember and have always felt alone. Sometimes have spent hours before bed doing this. Sending love to all those who understand
This is me. I spent hours last night picking at my skin before bed. 5 hrs later I was still awake at 4 am. Forcing myself to put down the tweezers.
Gosh, Iâve dealt with skin picking since I was like 12, so Iâm going on 10 years with dermatillomania now. It can be so exhausting just trying to get through my daily routine without completely destroying parts of my skin. Iâm almost completely recovered when it comes to my facial picking habits, but my shoulders/arms just seem to be the area(s) I continue to struggle with regardless of how much I try not to pick. I seriously feel for everyone that deals/has dealt with this issue, as I know how tiring it can truly be, but remember to be kind to yourself in lifeâs trying moments, and know that youâre not alone đ
I can't express enough how relieved I am to see I'm not the only one going through this. I don't remember when or how it started, I've just always picked at my skin and its ruined so many opportunities for me. For example, I've cancelled plans on friends and missed days out because I was too ashamed and embarrassed to go out with how my skin looked, I didn't attend School, College, University and sometimes called in sick to work because I couldn't cover it with makeup or just had no motivation to even try because I knew you would still be able to see it. I say to my friends, family, even my boyfriend that I have spot prone skin, but realistically I know (and they know) I'm the problem. Whenever I feel any little bump under my skin, I pick at it trying to prevent breakouts, but won't stop until its bleeding to make sure theres nothing left underneath. Once I've felt that bump, in my head I can't stop thinking about it until I've picked at it. Its now become a morning and nighttime routine where I just examine every inch of my skin, thinking I'm helping to clear out my pores, then when I take a step back and look at my face overall, I see how much damage I've done and instantly regret it/feel guilty, telling myself "Im never picking again!'. If my boyfriend got paid every time I've said that, I'm not joking when I say he'd be a BILLIONAIRE.. I definitely notice I pick more when I'm stressed or just bored. This morning I woke up and was so excited how clear my skin was, I'm now writing this after an episode which I spent 2 hours in the bathroom picking as I'm stressed about not having clear skin for my holiday. I feel like no matter how much progress I make, I always go back to picking. I know for a fact I'm going to do it again, but I just don't know how to stop myself anymore. I try to distract myself and refuse to look in the bathroom mirror, specifically in the morning or in the evening after a shower as my aim is to quickly wash my face and put skincare on to stop temptation. But sometimes I do it subconsciously, not even realising I'm doing it until its too late. Trying to explain this to anyone who doesn't pick is impossible as they truly don't understand mentally how hard it is to just stop. Starting off with OCD and always being a perfectionist has now made me obsessed with my skin. It really is a vicious cycle. Picking leads to stress, stress leads to more breakouts, more breakouts lead to more picking, more picking leads to stress. Im over feeling depressed and self conscious about my skin, picking is so time consuming and emotionally draining. Its definitely taken over my life !
I had no idea psychodermatology was a thing. This might be a game changer for me. Thanks Cassandra
Dermatillomania is a serious issue.
And only just becoming known.
60 years without treatment and my scars are a part of me.
Accutane will help.
Iâm 20 and I was diagnosed with it last year
@@youtubetrash3196 you're young! God bless you!
I'm 60 too. I didn't know it was a disorder until several years ago! I've picked my face ,(cystic acne) . That's gone...the acne that is. Now I have Ehlers-Danlos and skin is very fragile and takes twice as long to heal. Eczema on hairline. It does relax me. I can pick and mess with my face, cuticles (very dry) on hands and toes . Heels. ...for hours!
Iâve been picking my scalp for nearly 40 years
Oh my gosh I thought I was the only one! I started picking at age 7 after a stressful event. I went to several derms who didnât know what to do with a 7 yr old with acne. I progressed to nail biting, picking cuticles etc at one point in my 20s Iâd always have to hide my bleeding hands at work. Iâve always felt ashamed by it. During lockdown I tried wearing gloves at work as I tend to do it more when stressed and that seemed to help break the cycle for a bit. But it comes back. I struggle with stress I think I have some other conditions that contribute to this. It makes complete sense that this condition is approached from both the physical and mental side. Thanks for sharing!
ADHD here. BFRB (body focused repetitive behaviors) are a HUGE form of stimming for me! And my issues with skin picking, hair pulling, and nail biting were all exacerbated by several dermatological conditions (chronic yeast infections, recurring folliculitis, and the effect of low estrogen on my hair/skin/nail texture and health). Itâs a bummer because there just arenât psychoderms (or any BFRB specialists) in my area. âčïžâčïžâčïž
Same, I have ADHD, and I have dermatillomania. I also bite my nails, and I have white lines on my nails at 20 years old from biting my nails since I was 8 years old. I pick my skin or bite my nails when I am emotionally low, or when I am bored/need to stim.
The first time I went to a dermatologist for my skin, I told her immediately that I had dermatillomania. She didnât listen to me, she just took one look at my face and said yeah you have severe cystic acne, weâll give you some benzoyl peroxide. She didnât seem to understand that I did NOT have cystic acne at all. Everything on my face was self inflicted. What good would bp do when cystic acne wasnât my problem? At most I had very mild acne. The rest were just wounds. She told me Iâd have âcystic acneâ probably for the rest of my life bc it was very hard to treat. I left the office crying and feeling unheard and invalidated. I never saw another derm after that :( I wanna thank you for making a video about this, spreading awareness about the condition is so important as is removing the stigma â€ïž
I am just watching this after picking for seven hours on my free day, and I really think that it has impacted my eyesight over the years
I started picking after my daughter was born, ie post partum depression. I remember the first clogged pore that I popped. The release feeling and sound made me feel better. But now after 9 years, I am finally admitting I have this condition, stemming from depression and anxiety. I am owning this and actively trying to resolve my situation.
Thank you Cassandra! It t was because of you and the first video I watched, where I bawled my eyes out for days after, that I realized what it was and it's negative impact on my life.
Yeah, she tried to be light and breezy about it but you can see this is a subject that deeply impacts Cassandra emotionally. Thanks for being brave and bringing us an expert to talk about this so we understand it more. đ
I had a pretty severe phase of skin picking and it was because of the domestic abuse I went through as a child. It just relaxed me and I also re-opened scabs a lot and kept small open wounds on the back of my head to have a way of instantly experiencing the relief of self-harm without anyone noticing. Especially throughout the day with minor stressors at school etc it was so nice to have that. After I moved out of my parents house and started my own life it got a lot better. I still pop a pimple every now and then but I donât âdestroyâ my face / neck / shoulders etc.
Thank you for sharing
@@jenniferstorm5070 Thank you for taking the time to read it. It is better now but back then I knew it was an addiction because I couldnât stop myself. I hope people will be honest with themselves and seek professional help. Not just for the skin picking but the underlying issues.
@@Ninitschga Yes, exactly. A great way is to reach out and educate, as Cassandra does with this video with Dr Ahmed as a guest. I hope this topic becomes more widely known.
Love to you!
This helps me so much. Iâve been picking my skin for years, but I never considered it may be a psychological disorder. I see my friends with perfect skin and I think whenever I see a spot, I need to attack it. I never felt comfortable going to a regular derm for fear of judgment, and theyâd simply tell me to âstop pickingâ. To know that there is a specific specialist that can help with this problem is almost comforting and a relief for me. Thank you for sharing!
Anxiety is a HUGE contributor. I started picking to relieve my stress after I had my kid. I began having issues with anxiety and hormonal acne and that combo lead me to pick every little bump on my face. I squeeze every pore and actually enjoy seeing the sebaceous filaments come out, it gives me a dopamine release. I also have ADHD. This has lead to major skin problems I've never had before. I think hypnosis, cognitive behavioral therapy and "tapping" really helped. I catch myself much quicker now and convince myself to walk away. I tell myself I'm only going to look in the mirror no closer than 30" away. I've gotten much better recently.
I told my mom about this today and I told her that I do this... I am so glad I am not alone, because people make me feel as if there's something wrong with me đ even somwtimes wanting to hit me to stop...
No one should hit you to get you to do anything. You are definitely not alone in your issues with picking. Good luck and love yourself no matter what. Pimples are not a character flaw!
Wow! It's like the doctor knows me. I have anxiety, I've always washed my hands more often than necessary and very possibly ADHD and I've struggled with picking for a very long time. I haven't been able to find a way to quit. I have been able to do it less often by keeping my hands busy whether I'm working, playing games on my phone or something.
Just come across this video - YES!! So awesome, itâs so great to see this information out there. I started skin picking during high school and 10 years later I still fall back on it the moment Iâm stressed đ
Thank you very much for this video.
I have been struggling with skin picking on my fingers and cuticles since I was six (I'm 30 now). I could never stop
it: I saw a psychologist who only made it worse, getting my nails done at a salon would always end up in shaming, and once I tries to just 'restrain' myself and it literally drove me insane so I had to get professional help.
Sending love and wishing strenght to all
my fellow dermatillomaniacs.
Omg I have been waiting for you to talk about this for soo long ,this is a really big struggle for me I started when I was 12 and now at 18 I do it unconsciously no matter how many times I promise myself I'd stop ,it's really hard to stop and gets worse during exam season i keep picking while studying and just end up with so much damage.
Oh I love this concept! It's is so interesting & makes so much sense! I hope this discipline becomes more recognition & people get more aware of it.
Cassandra!! I needed this video đą Iâve been very seriously considering therapy for skin picking, it makes me late for work, miss out on time spent with loved ones, and totally undoing all of the hard work Iâm doing with my skin. đ
I have this! I also have some symptoms of higher cortisol. Sleep issues, weight gain and very difficult to lose it, acne, and some joint pain. Ok so know I need to figure out how to get help.
This started when my husband deployed. I thought I had a good handle on it. Ugh he has been home for 2 years but this hasn't stopped. PTSD? Crazy as it sounds I think so.
Thank you so much for this post. I have been going crazy trying to figure out what is wrong with me. I know I have to get the cortisol level down and deal with my deep emotions.
Iâve been embarrassed by my parents who exposed my picking to my neurologist when it first started instead of taking me to a therapist. It made it worse. I was able to stop for a few months, but I was never able to stop again. That was in junior year of high school, Iâm 24 now and Iâve only made minimal progress because Iâm too embarrassed to go get help after what my parents did. I started accutane and was able to stop picking my face, which was a bad spot for me, but now Iâm trying really hard to stop picking my arms and legs. I canât wear shorts or short sleeves and havenât for years now and it really makes me upset because I feel weird and gross. It really helps to see these videos and know Iâm not alone and that thereâs help and I can keep making progress. Thank you đ
Thank you for talking about this. Started when I was 13 and had my first zit. I knew not to touch it because it could scar or get worse. Family was visiting and my mother insisted that I pop it because she was embarrassed of my skin. She also gave me the brilliant advise at the same age, "If you've got it, flaunt it", in regards to encouraging me to "dress sexy". She basically impressed upon me that if I wasn't "hot" no one would like me. As I am 38 now, I see that she passed her own issues onto me at that age. She was the insecure one who felt competitive toward me and my sister, so she had to take us down a notch and pass her dysfunction onto us. She is no longer a welcome part of my life because she hasn't changed or grown. I still struggle very much with my skin and it gets worse when I feel stressed, inadequate, or insecure. Its obsessive and I know I'd have good skin if I just wore oven mitts!! I never knew this was a thing!
Thank you, really useful clip! Feeling better thereâs so many ppl out there struggling from skin picking like me :)
Thank you for sharing so openly and honestly. I struggle with skin picking and when it was at it's worst I was also pulling out my hair. I was told it's a compulsive condition called tricotillamania (probably spelled it wrong). I have bipolar disorder and self medicated for years w drugs and alcohol. During active addiction my self care was practically non existent. I don't have acne prone skin BUT would often breakout as my body was detoxing from drugs n alcohol. I would pick so deep I always thought the little hair follicles on my face were puss that wouldn't come out n I'd go at it a safety pins, tweezers, comidone remover...it was so bad. I'd pick the scabs so my make up/cover up wouldn't emphasize them. I still go thru picking bouts during time of stress. I didn't always focus on my face. Sometimes it was my hands, nails, arms thighs. I've got scars galore on my breasts and declate as well. It's okay though because my scars are just part of my story. Thank you for letting me share.
Thank you so much Cassandra. If you want to talk to some of us who have been struggling with this, I'm sure we would like to help. I have been in cognitive behavioral therapy for two years to get better. It can become so very extreme and crippling. I just want to express such deep gratitude. Thank you.
This was amazing. Wow Cassandra, I learned so much. I never knew this specialty existed.
Wow - the more you know. This conversation was very eye opening! Thanks for this.
Thank you so much for addressing this like that instead of just cringe and shame us â€
Iâve struggled with skin picking my whole life and Iâve gotten a lot better at it the last few years. Thank you for this great video Cassandra đđ
Wow! This is me! It's so frustrating. I just want a bump/pimple to go away. Nothing but softness under my probing fingers makes me feel good. I've been seeing a Derm (yes it IS a hormonal acne at 48) but the picking IS a vicious cycle and my own Derm touched upon it. When I leave my skin alone (very difficult) I notice how much better it looks. For something helpful, I've been using Mighty Patch to put over areas that I should leave alone (you should see the silicone patches all over my face...lol!), but it does help. There may be other ones out there that are cheaper but they are great if you are staying home in the day or put them on before you go to bed. For me, I love to read but often I will feel my hand reach up and start feeling for bumps...any bump! I really don't have serious scars on my face but from years ago I have scars on my back that have faded enough where I feel okay wearing something that shows off my back. Thank you so much Cassandra for this platform! I wish there was something like this in the 1980's.
You basically described me. In my 40s and still learning.
Thank you Cass. Both Dr. Ahmed and your insights are invaluable đ
I am a life long skin picker and currently trying to stop the behavior. My skin picking is stress induced for sure as I seem to just start doing it when I am under stress which is often. It is hard to stop and I find that I do it without even realizing Iâm doing it. I try to hide it from people including my spouse, but she is aware I am picking my skin and tries to get me to stop. Glad to have found this video !
Thanks so much for this Iâve been asking since I found you a few months ago and thatâs been my biggest skin struggle.
Thank you for this. Iâve struggled with this for 23 years. Iâve made countess New Years resolutions and promises to myself to quit picking, but I have yet to have gone more then 24 hours without picking. I appreciate you covering this!
Oh my god, I canât believe I didnât see this video before! I have dermatillomania since I was 14. Iâm currently 28. Iâve been in therapy for almost 10 years, and itâs a lot better but I still engage almost every day. Itâs a lot better, and I pick just a little, but when Iâm overly stressed I do cause quite a lot of damage. Thanks for making a video on this topic! I love your channel â€
This is one of the most helpful and informative videos Iâve watched on the topic. I felt the same after watching one of your latest videos on rosacea. Thanks Cassandra! đ
I don't suffer this issue, I have other skin tribulations but not this. I really liked this though. And was immensely happy to have this brought to the public. Thank you đ
i feel like a complete different person after watching this video. Thanks Cassandra for bringing this upâ€
Not a skin-picker or acne-sufferer myself but I do know people who fit this profile! I donât think any of us has heard of paychodermatology before đ€ Thank you for spreading this important information that hopefully creates realization in people and gives them new hope for an actual treatment! â€ïž
Wow. This is SO important. Thanks Cassandra!
Iâm really grateful for this video. Iâve always known that my skin picking was a neurological satisfaction - I just find satisfaction in the release of the gunk. What started to make me think more deeply about my acne was recognizing I have âacneâ only on my upper back and chest but not on my face as Iâm very careful to not pick my face. Iâm grateful for the tip to remove the urge to pick because I know thatâs my biggest obstacle and something I have been trying to find ways to stop or channel into another avenue.
Thank you!
I've done nail biting since I was a kid and it is, indeed, a vicious cycle... between my parents telling me not to do it and my hands looking horrible, it has been really stressful for me đąMy only escape from stress and anxiety are my hands and everytime I see some healing skin or else, I ripped it off bc boredom or stress. You can imagine my college years, tragic.
Thank you so much, Cassandra for this video đ these disorders are not very talked about and now I know that there is a
specialization that can treat them.
Oh I know exactly what you mean, I'm always picking at the scabs on my back and shoulders during lectures. Started doing it in bed too during that pre-sleep anxiety phase đ
@@kelly55 ikr?? it is really stressful... my hands were really horrible during finals, I hated them đ
People who bite their nails actually have a better immune system because they are constantly exposing their mouths to bacteria on the hands.
@@daniburke9452 interesting, that could explain why I don't get ill so often đ€
This is so interesting! Thank you Cassandra!
I am so so happy this is a field of medicine. When I started my mental health journey, I told my Dr and my therapist about my skin picking, and they both told me I probably wouldn't be able to stop. However, once getting on the right medications, got the proper diagnoses, and actually started finding rhe proper products for my skin, it all has helped so mucu
I can not put into words how much this video will change my life. Always going to a dermatologist getting prescribed creams that temporarily work. When I'm the only making it worse. Thank you will be booking appt
Great video!
I learnt the HPA Axis in Biopsychology, and the treatments for these disorders.
I really want to get into psychodermatology.
I'm consciously trying to stop picking at my blemishes and dry skin bumps and whatever else (I do avoid moles!) and it's a constant struggle. I needed this today.
Thank you for all you do. Sending you positive energy from The City (hi neighbor!)
This is so helpful! And insightful! Thank you!!!!!!
Yep, I was diagnosed with this last year. Iâm 20 years old, and I didnât know before that it was an actual thing. I have always done this, but didnât realize it before. Mine worsened after I accidentally hit my head on a wall and my scalp scabbed up. I was fascinated by the scabs and picking them was satisfying. My first symptoms were nail biting and picking my skin on my feet. I was in time out a lot as a kid because I would act out (undiagnosed ADHD), and picking my feet kept me quiet and was soothing during when I was in time out. Iâve picked my lips, feet, wrist, arms, legs, etc. I have also pulled out some eyelashes, arm hairs, and some eyebrow hairs.
Thank you for bringing this video to us! In the last few months I have definitely understood that my skin looks fine if i don't touch it..
But i f i pass my hands through my skin, i feel stuff and i hate it. If i look too closely at a mirror (which i can never stop doing so) i destroy it and go through several days of repairing it and losing hours on makeup. It definetely impacts my daily life.
This was really helpful. Appreciate the upload xo
love you for sharing that topic!
This was wonderful! Could you do one on pulling as well? Iâm guessing the treatment would be very similar but it would be great to hear about hair pulling specifically .
I got home from work yesterday and spent 5 hours picking then I went to bed, I barely heard the TV playing.
was wonderin wher u wer, welcome backđđI hav chronic stress annd breakouts, never popped or picked tho
Great information, I did not know that psycodermatologist existed. Thanks for sharing, always great content xx
Great interview .. thank you
Thank you so so much for this video!!
Thank you for this â€
I just had this conversation with my dermatologist yesterday. My acne is real, but my picking makes it so much worse! Trying to learn ways to stop.
Thank you so much for this video đ
Thank you, for years Iâve picked my skin almost every night⊠Iâm trying to stop so perfect timing
Thank you so much for this video! I used to pick my skin a lot but was able to stop it around 2 years ago - it was hard to determine what comes first: clean skin so I can stop picking it or I stop picking and get a clean skin? Anyways, after tons of skin patches, lots of sunscreen and smart skincare (thanks to you and other CZcamsrs) was able to recover. Very important topic, it's all in our heads really but we can't always fix it even if we know what's going on.
I have OCD, bipolar, cognitive issues, and I'm believed to be on the autism spectrum (according to my former psychiatrist, he retired, and waiting on new psychiatrist to get fully assessed), and WAS told to look into Dermatilomania (Excoriation disorder). I don't realize I'm doing it, until I have pulled my hand away and find blood. Used to bite my nails down to nothing, so I wasn't able to do any serious damage, but now that I no longer bite my nails, I have done a fair bit of damage to my scalp, my go to place. I have caught myself scanning (running your hand over the skin for bumps and imperfections), and stopped. But something that has helped me, is actually watching videos like Dr pimple popper :D Also constantly keeping my hands busy with these pop-it toys sure helps. The little toys that have the bubbles to "pop". :)
I didn't know so many other people dealt with this!!! đ I've been picking at cuts, scabs, bumps, pimples, or even just pigmentation I was literally born with since I was 4... I used to use a metal loop thing for popping zits my mom bought me as a younger teen, but after I noticed I had literally bent it I realized I had to get rid of it! I've gotten better with it, I used to do it for maybe an hour sometimes, but now I only do it out of boredom for 10 mins.
Keeping up with trimming my nails has helped, if they're too short to scratch my face with then the most I can do is press on it. If you're struggling with this too, try cutting your nails as short as comfortably possible! (This also got rid of my habit of peeling the tips of my nails, they were always so uneven before)
it almost made me cry when I heard her say it's okay to do it safely, I've never heard anyone tell me that before, and it relieved a lot of the shame I have around it đ this is one of the many reasons it's so important to destigmatize things like this, because it helps people suffering talk about it, and makes it easier for people to find healthy ways to stop
Iâve struggled my whole life with this. Itâs awful
I was picking the skin on my fingers before I finally pushed to myself to turn my tablet on and find something to watch while getting on with a chore. I continued to pick my fingers and watch this because itâs tough to push myself to get on with chores when I have quiet BPD, chronic pain, depression, anxiety and cptsd. I have been picking my fingers and my eczema since I was little, I hated school and got bullied and it was a coping mechanism. I would love to stop because one of my chronic pains effects my hands and so they really hurt and ache after Iâve been picking đ
I'm a boredom skin picker - I'm hoping using hydrocolloid patches will help me break my bad habit so I have something to touch but not necessarily scratch/pick at đ
*Currently waiting on an ADHD assessment lol
Thank you for this video
I am an ADHD skin picker, mostly hands and face. Most of my acne is hormonal and worse around my period
I also have ADHD and have dermatillomania, I was diagnosed with dermatillomania last year. I skin pick all the time, often very few hours, or every hour. I canât stop picking.
Cass we want your thoughts and opinions on the new Kim Kardashian skincare line!!!
I've always had one issue or another. In preschool I had morsicatio buccarum (chewed inside of cheeks). In elementary school I switched to onychotillomania (nail biting/chewing). I was able to kick that habit in high school by changing to dermatillomania with my acne. I also picked up trichotillomania (hair pulling) at that time, which I still struggle with today (I'm 34). I don't pick my skin as bad anymore, but I can't help squeezing pimples if they look "ready," and I still pick at/bite my lateral nail folds.
Wow! Iâve dealt with biting the insides of my cheeks my entire life and never realized it was a diagnosable thing, I thought it was just me. Thank you for bringing that up, apparently itâs a form of OCD which makes sense!
Iâm 20 and I have dermatillomania, as well as nail biting and occasionally, pulling out arm hairs or eyebrow hairs, as well as biting off the hair on my knuckles.
Thank you!
Iâm a skin picker and my face been covered in dark spots since I was 11, I really want to stop and I want clear skin for the first time in my adult life
My dermatillomania was triggered by a bad sunburn i got in the 6th grade. I started peeling at the burn because i was in a class and i was finished with a project but my teacher didn't believe me that i was finished. Odd to think that event triggered an issue that lasted all to now where I'm 18.
I feels validating to know that there is professional help i can get. Thank you
as a child, i use to pick my skin a lot. it started when i was 8, when my skin started to have acnes, my family noticed and always shame me about it so i pick it. i dont know but to me, its relieving. my skin we starting to get worse and my family keep on talking about it especially my mom. i felt bad about it so i picked on my skin more. i got stressed because of it but i'm also doing it because of stress.
now, im so much better but sometimes i still do it :)
Itâs pretty hard cause sometimes the family says: you donât need medical attention or anything, just stop picking. And they donât understand
Really excited about this video because I asked you about advice on skin picking on Instagram (but you probably get so many messages that you didnt see it lmao totally fine)
With everything Dr Ahmed said I felt like she was literally talking about me and especially her description of excoriated acne hit really close to home.. thank you so much for thisđ
Just one question; do you have any tips on harm reduction if somebody cant stop picking, aside from washing your face and hands before and after? Like, are there any products or actives that could support the skin in the healing process or something like that?
The products I know that help the healing process and reduce skin irritation are: niacinamide and hyaluronic acid. Also, there is tretinoin that is a prescribed meditation that is applied over the skin, that fade skin scars after applying consistently for approximately 4-6 months. At this mentioned period is generally when you can start to see results and then keep going applying.
I have found cleansers containing salicylic acid have helped my healing process go faster, especially when I have picked at acne spots
I have tried so many times to stop. It usually lasts maybe a week before I'm back to picking. And people don't get how hard it is to resist. The more i try not to pick, the more i think about it. Resisting makes me feel tense and the urge to pick becomes a physical sensation, sort of like an itch. And it's just so much easier to give in and pick, but then I'm bleeding again.
this video is amazing
Oh I don't worry at my face too much, but I do scratch the hell out of my scalp! No fungus, no active dandruff - but I am super self conscious of my INCREDIBLY thin hair and find my fingers in my hair *all the time* when I'm more stressed and/or bored.
I did discover I'm sensitive to methoisothiazolonone (preservative in many hair care products), but that doesn't stop me scratching.
My mum is exactly the same.
Oh, I also cannot leave my cuticles alone!!! I've mostly stopped biting them, but I attack them frequently with clippers
I have had a similar situation for years now with picking sebaceous filaments nightly. it is so hard to stop but I am trying to be better to myself
Thank you!
Thank you so much for making that video! I have never heard of psychodermatology before. Thanks to you I have so many questions, I had for years about my health, finally answered đđŒ
I have ocd and I also struggle with dermatillomania and trichotillomania
Sometimes its so bad i spend HOURS ruining my face and my arms are IN TERRIBLE PAIN
And then i have sores all over my face
I kinda avoid mirrors until I feel like I have to fix my eyebrows (I have a messy unibrow) and cant stop myself
I also pick my skin on my scalp and the skin is also sensitive and they both contribute to me having sores that then make scar tissue and my hair doesnt grow back so i have been losing hair
Its a horrible condition
It gets really bad w stress
Ive had it since i was like 12
I do wanna note that there are a lot of people that can't just go and get a psychodermatologist because a lot of people cant afford medical bills and I really doubt they exist worldwide
I have found so much comfort with the larger size pimple patches. I let my fingers rub across the patch instead of pick at the pimples.
A video on the use of LED devices pleasee
It can also be based on mosquitoe bites, dry cracked skin or wounds from your cat scratching you.
I always pick the skin on my scalp. Sometimes you can find some sort of "grains" on your head and my goal is to find them. When I do find one, I feel an intense sense of relief and I take it out of my hair- pulling my hair in the process- and then play with the grain by rubbing it between my thumb and pointer finger.
I'm merciless when I'm searching for these grains, I really scratch my skin and rub my skin when I do it. When I'm done, I rake my hands through my hair only to find out that what I just did made hair strands loose, so I always hold a whole clump of hair in my hands and immediately regret what I just did. Recently I have noticed some bald spots that are becoming bigger and bigger.
I've had this problem since I was a teenager and I tried to stop this so so often, but nothing ever worked. I always thought it was just a bad habit. I'm glad it has a name now.
I've gone almost a month without doing this now!
â@@DwynTwowell done! đ€đ€
Thank you đ x