different problem

[tom]

I have a problem with skin picking too, but mine is different from most. I pick the skin on my hands and feet. I often use my nails to do this, and i frequently use a nail clipper. My fingers and toes are very picked and full of red marks. I also worry about getting AIDS through my picked areas. I would like to know if anyone else does anything like this, and if so, if they recommend any ways of stopping.
Whew!

Thanks

[Laura]

Picking the skin on hands seems to be a very common form of CSP. Feet shouldn't be much different.

I actually pick at pimples, scabs, pores, ingrown hairs, blemishes, bumps... any thing that looks, or feels different. I also pick the skin around my toenails - but only if nail becomes ingrown or infected... eeww...

Anyway, enough about my yucky picking habits!

I just wanted to let you know that you are not alone with your problem, and everyone here completely understands, because we are all pickers too.

I am a bit curious to why you are so worried about getting AIDS?
I've never considered it as a problem - as long as I have safe sex (when I eventually get over my fears of getting close to people), and don't take drugs/share needles, I should be fine.
If you don't mind me asking... are you gay? Or into weird kinky sex? Because I really can't understand how AIDS fits into this....

Its not like you are gonna shake hands with someone with AIDS who has open sores on their hands. At least I think its highly unlikely.

Welcome to our support group, and I hope we can help you... cos I know it has helped me!
Laura.

[Heather]

Not so different problem :-)

Many people pick at their hands.

And guess what...irrational fear of contracting AIDS is quite common in people with OCD. Here's a link for you: www.homestead.com/westsuffolkpsych/OCDandAIDS.html

Hope this helps! Don't be afraid. You're not even close to alone.

-H

[keebler126dr]

I work with special ed preschoolers. I understand the importance of not having open skin on the hands and arms. I still pick at cuticles or any irregularities.
What has really scared me into thinking twice about picking, is picking at things that are supposed to stay intacked. I have a thing on my back that was a mole. I had it burned off years ago. I am concerned about it. I can't even see it on my back. I need to have it checked out. It is not the first mole I have bothered. It is only a matter of time before I have a serious physical problem.
The thought of skin cancer terrifies me into thinking twice.

[musician]

Tom-

I mainly pick my fingers, too, and my feet, and yes, nail clippers are an accessory I often resort to. My feet are so callused now that only nail clippers will work to pick! (Yuck, too much information, I know).

I've also had thoughts about my non-intact skin exposing me to possible infection, including HIV. I don't think it sounds odd at all; in fact, I was a little relieved to find out it's not just me (and Heather, your mentioning the OCD/fear of AIDS connection helped, too).

I also bite my nails, chew at the skin on my fingers, and have all kinds of other picking habits; like Keebler, I also have moles that were removed that I continue to pick at, worrying about things like skin cancer.

Anyway, since I tend to use nail clippers as much to pick (if not more) than to trim my nails, I'm trying out emery boards instead. It feels therapeutic to file my nails, rather than bite them, and leaves them short (to prevent picking) and smooth. I have all sorts of picked calluses on my fingers; the loose edges really entice me to pick, so I file them lightly, too-- not enough to make my skin raw, but just enough to smooth out some of the ridges.

I don't think I've ever gone more than a few days without picking; I'll let you know if this really helps...

Good luck!

-musician

[thumbelina]

I am a finger and toe picker too. Covered in plasters. I bit pick and use clippers and emery boards. You aren't the only one Tom, don't know if thats good or not.

[LiViNgDeAdGiRl]

Ive never worried about contracting AIDS from picking....but I have been worried that I LOOK like I have AIDS FROM picking so bad.

[usdoll]

This is an email I sent to someone regarding this. I didn't want to write it all again. I haven't heard your story though.

I'm in my fifties and now am wondering that when I die, people will see my fingers. I won't be able to hide them.

I didn't know how to find out about my finger picking problem. I keyworded "neurotic finger picking" and got your story, which is very much like mine. I started picking the palm of my hand and it moved to two fingers, one finger on each hand.

Your story made me cry because I was taken back to the sadness that probably started me picking. When it was raging, in my adolescence, I did use instruments with blades. But unlike you, I don't think it's me causing this. When I look at this picked skin under a magnifying glass, I can see small circles in the healed, not recently picked skin. It reminds me of warts. I think it's some kind of wart, not my neurosis. I haven't taken the blame for it.

When I look at the skin, there's little circles where my fingerprint should be. The skin is different than my normal skin and even if I don't pick, it calls out to me to press on it.
The spots on each finger that need to be pressed are just under the cuticle on one side. I think that's where the essence of the wart lives.

I had a planter wart once. It was removed twice and I think it's still there but the head of it isn't because it doesn't urge me to press on it like it did before it was finally burned out of me.

So this kind of reminds me of that planters wart I had before I was 20. And like the planter wart, the skin covers over the wounds really fast. A lot faster, I think than the normal skin would. And that skin is a lot thicker. If I rip off a piece, I will see little holes in it. And it doesn't bleed like normal skin, it more oozes. And if it does bleed pretty good, it seems that I got one of the roots of one of these tiny warts that I can't see. I have the same feeling thing about the ridges being not smooth which causes me to rub it which causes me to want to smooth it down by picking.

What I do to cut down on the picking of my fingers is I file the calouses down. But these fingers are permanently disfigured I figure.

Also I was always afraid of picking up viruses or infections through the open wounds but I never did. So I'm not owning this neurosis. I think it's a virus because warts are caused by viruses. So that's why I was searching the net, to see if anyone else had this. I would be interested in finding out anything I can about this problem of mine. I will go back to tracking down leads from my search. Thank you for your story. I'm wondering if I'm in denial. I would love to hear back from you if you actually read this. I'm not even sure if the story was actually your story. Lynn