Skin-picking disorder
If picking at your skin has become difficult to stop, you may want support with both the behavior and how you feel about it. Explore skin-picking disorder, physical care and treatment that considers your own pattern.
The pattern matters, as well as what you can see.
Skin-picking disorder, also called excoriation disorder, involves recurrent picking that causes skin damage, attempts to reduce or stop, and significant distress or impact. Assessment considers medical and other explanations.
Picking can be focused on a sensation or concern, or happen with limited awareness. Occasional skin picking alone does not establish a disorder.
Based on NHS · International OCD Foundation
Skin health and the behavior belong in the same picture.
- Sensations & context
What draws your attention or is happening around you
- Awareness
How much you notice before or during picking
- Skin health
Damage and possible underlying skin concerns
- Your day
Distress, avoidance and everyday impact
What may be happening around the picking.
You can use these examples to find words for your experience.
Sensations
Feeling drawn to a texture or irregularity and finding the urge to pick difficult to leave alone.
Awareness
Realizing you have been picking while absorbed in another activity.
Attempts to stop
Trying to stop but finding that picking returns, sometimes around stress or boredom.
Physical & daily impact
Skin damage, emotional distress or avoiding people and activities because of the picking.
Based on NHS · International OCD Foundation
The context can be useful even when awareness varies.
Skin picking may happen while concentrating, in response to feelings or sensations, or with limited awareness at the time. You can explain the situations you know about without inspecting your skin repeatedly or keeping a detailed record for this website.
A fictional visitor, Lee, says that time spent picking is making evenings difficult and that shame is delaying an appointment. Lee can ask about the behavior, distress and skin health together. The example is not a diagnostic threshold.
Fictional examples to explain an experience. They are not a checklist or a diagnosis.
Based on NHS · International OCD Foundation
Ask about skin health and behavioral support.
A doctor can ask about the picking and look at your skin. Conditions such as acne or eczema may need attention; a skin specialist or mental health professional may be involved.
Explain what you notice before, during and after picking and how it affects your day. Assessment of the behavior should not replace care for wounds or underlying skin problems.
Based on NHS · International OCD Foundation
- 1What has changed?
One example from a recent day.
- 2When do you notice it?
When it began and how often it happens.
- 3What feels harder?
The effect on your life and what you want help with.
Find an approach that considers your circumstances.
You and your clinician can discuss what fits your needs, preferences and health.
Based on NHS · International OCD Foundation
Your skin and your wellbeing both deserve care.
A healthcare professional can assess skin concerns, other explanations and the need for treatment. Psychological care may include habit reversal or a broader behavioral approach adapted to the individual. Ask what the approach involves and how skin care will be coordinated.
If skin is injured, painful or showing possible infection, use the medical-help guidance on this page. Do not wait for a psychological assessment before raising a physical concern. There is no lesion gallery, tool guide or picking exercise here.
Daily impact
What is the behavior taking time or attention away from?
Skin health
What needs a clinician's assessment?
Support
Who can help with the behavior and the distress around it?
Based on NHS · International OCD Foundation
A little clarity. A place to start.
Explore a tool, prepare a conversation or find someone to talk to. Choose what feels useful to you.
Prepare for a conversation
A few prompts to help you explain what you have noticed and what you would like help with.
- A simple notes builder
- Copy your notes to keep
- No account needed
You decide how much to write and share.
Find your wordsFind your next kind of support
Explore where to begin with everyday support, professional help or an urgent conversation.
- Ways to ask for help
- Country-specific crisis contacts
- Support at your own pace
If you need urgent help, go straight to support.
Find supportYour first sentence does not need to be perfect.
You might describe when you notice picking, the damage or distress, and what you want help with. There is no need to upload a photograph or produce a severity score here before asking for support.
Based on NHS · International OCD Foundation
“I pick my skin and find it difficult to stop. I want help with the damage and the effect on my life, and to understand treatment options.”Make it sound like you
Your questions, with room for nuance.
You can read just the answer you need.
Can I ask for help even if I feel embarrassed?
Yes. A professional can discuss picking and skin health without treating it as a character flaw. You can start with a brief description of the impact; you do not need to submit an image here.
Based on NHS · International OCD Foundation
Where this information comes from.
Use this hub to learn and prepare questions. It does not diagnose you or recommend a personal treatment plan. By Selfmora editorial; sources checked . Updated .
Additional explanations and examples: sources consulted . Examples illustrate ideas; they do not assess your personal health. Your questions
- Skin picking disorder
- Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors
- Comprehensive Behavioral Treatment for Skin Picking and Hair Pulling Disorders
- The Skin Picking Scale-Revised: Factor structure and psychometric properties