What type of skin-pick are you dealing with?

[TweezerQueen]

Carree said:

Well my main area that I pick is my lower legs, this is why I haven't wore shorts all summer , but I will also pick other areas like my shoulders, back, face, scalp and arms.

Hi,
Just now joined after finding this site this morning. What a huge relief to find out I wasn't the only one in the world that picks.

I am just like you, Carree. My lower legs have been my target for 25 years!

I also go for my arms, chest, face and bikini line and my weapon of choice is my tweezers. Can't live without them.

It's good to have found this place of refuge

[Lucy]

We are glad to have ya!!! I was so excited to find out there was a place I could go and not be cruelly putdown about my picking, I began crying. I always felt like a weird-o and like I was lower then everyone else because I have this problem. Congrats for making the first step to being pick free.
xxx
Lucy

[angelkiss]

isn't it such a relief when you find a label for your problem? i remember i felt the same way Lucy.

i am a leg picker...specifically thighs but also shins...and arms as well...but i have picked every part of my body. i just go through stages. it's like, well this month i'm in a pick-my-hands kind of mood...and then a few months down the road i've suddenly moved on to my face.

i'm kind of glad the weather is cooling down a little, now i can wear pants and longer sleeves without sweating.

[Azarae]

Umm...anything except my eyeballs :/ I really go for my scalp, face & shoulders though...

K.

[totalchaos]

Anything with a pore! At least that's what it seems like!

Right now - face, some arms, some chest, and now my legs seem to be having some reaction to some body lotion, so I'm picking at them, too.

And for some reason today, I've been picking at the cuticle on my left thumb all day.

[Stef (Incubabe)]

Ive cut down a lot on my arms lately! I really, really, wanna wear a nice dress to prom this year so Im focusing on getting my arms to be pick-free. I dont care so much about my legs right now. I can deal with them at another date. Once I kick the habit on my arms, I think it will be a little easier to drop each spot in due time. I've limited myself to only one pick per arm. And whats better is I can scan them, and feel them, and stare right at bumps I would normally pick, and force myself not to pick them. Ive also been sitting on my hands while not typing at the computer. And I will catch myself in class when my fingers start to feel my arms. I've been keeping a watchful eye on myself. I think my self vigil is doing a number on my grades because the only thing Im focused on is stopping this and going on with my life. Like for example, right now, Im neglecting my spanish homework and I have a quiz tomorrow. Oh well. Happiness and self-acceptance come first in my book...but who's reading my book anyways? ;D

[SandyBeach]

Hi all! I just came across some stuff on this and realized I wasn't alone. I'm a Social Worker and should have known that a long time ago, but I guess we're blind to our own habits!

Anyway, I pick my scalp, face (some), arms & legs (the worst), chest, stomach, back. I started pulling my eyelashes & eyebrows out in elementary school & stopped after 2 or 3 years. The picking on backs of legs is really bad, like while I'm watching TV. I pick my arms in the car mostly. My scalp while I'm watching TV too. Today was the first day that I looked at my arms to decide whether or not to wear something sleeveless. Funny that I'd come to work and find this site, huh?

Thank you for helping me see that I'm not alone.

[Jeannie]

I pick my feet, ankles, legs (upper and lower), hands, arms (upper and lower), back, shoulder, neck, scalp and face. I guess just about everywhere except my stomach.
I have had to spend entire summers wearing pants and long sleeved shirts. Sometimes I looked in the mirror and thought I was something out of a horror movie. I am now at a point where there are permanent scars all over my body. Even my forearms are mottled with old scars. When I get a sunburn, the scars burn bright red and it's super noticeable.
But you know what? I've worked hard at battling this problem, so I just think of them as my battle scars. It helps me not to feel ashamed. Of course, it's harder not to be ashamed when the scabs are current.
And cold weather is coming, which means dry skin that is harder to leave alone. It also means jeans and sweaters, easy to cover up my skin.
One thing that helps...putting on Vaseline Intensive Care Lotion every morning and night, plus keeping it in my purse at all times. The more lotion, the softer the scabs are (harder to pick), and the faster they heal.
Sorry for going on so long...new member and all that.
Jean

[neroli]

Well i have picked away at my body for about 40 years, I will be 50 next year and remember doing it when I was about 10. Some times have been worse than others and now is no exception.

Ok.... I pick mostly my thighs, tops of my legs, above elbow, bum ... anywhere where people can't see.

Then summer comes and I have to cover up all summer. We have had a boiling summer in England this year, so sometimes I have had bare my arms...... very embarassing.

Mentioned it to my Doctor for the very first time last week and was sent to hospital for tests last Wednesday on my blood. He thinks that it is something medical that needs sorting out!!!!

Now I aren't a Doctor, but I know that a tablet won't stop me. I do get depressed about the state of me and my husband thinks it is gross, he can't stand the sight of my bum!

I agree with the lady who uses Vaseling Intensive Care, I have started to carry a little bottle around me and if I am sat at traffic lights or queing in traffic I rub it into my arms. It is starting to clear up a bit.

The feeling of picking is wonderful at the time, just scratching off those bumps and looking at my nails to see what I pull off......

[Florida Blues]

I do most of my picking on my arms and legs.It keeps me from doing all the things I love to do. I had to stop going to the gym until my arms get better. I wear workout pants so that nobody will see my legs.It's a terrible thing that we have. I am glad to read that some people have won the battle. Maybe one day I will be able to go to the beach and feel good again in my bathingsuit. Hope to hear from others that are going through or have been through what I am living.

[angelkiss]

Florida Blues, I live in Gainesville, FL, what about you?? I was so excited to see your name on here, I haven't talked to anyone from around here on this board.

[sanctuary]

Hey Angelkiss,

You know me as Florida Blue's. I joined as a member now and changed my log on name to Sanctuary. I didn't want to sound so doom and gloom. Thanks so much for getting back to me. Gainsville is a great place! I 'm from Ft. Lauderdale. The weather is so beautiful and I can't even take advantage of it. I hope I can beat this thing.Hope to hear from ya!

God Bless! *Sanctuary*

[angelkiss]

You can definitely beat this thing sanctuary, i almost have it beaten! I think it's kind of like having alcoholism or something, it's a thing that will plague you for the rest of your life, but you can work to get the urges to go down in intensity until they're practically gone.

I decided to try to quit skin picking back in February. It's now almost October and I have finally gotten through a lot of issues and developed a strategy that has worked to cut picking out of my life. Therapy and taking an antidepressant has helped a lot. I think pretty soon I will be at the point where I won't need to be in therapy anymore. But I know if I ever get to the point where I start getting picking urges again, I will go right back to my shrink and hash it all out.

I am just like you, a legs and arms picker. I used to let it stop me from doing so many things. And being in Florida, where everyone is always showing so much skin, it's tough! But you can get past it...I feel less and less ashamed of my scars everyday. I'm finally starting to realize that hey, it's just skin, and it's MY skin, and it says a lot about me, it doesn't have to be perfect. So, that's that!

[Carree]

Great attitude Angel, we can all learn something from you !