I pick and peel at my lips, does anyone else do this? (long)

Posted April 1st, 2011 by happytown3000

Thank goodness I found this website... I have felt so alone and weird with my CSP for so long, and now I've been on here for hours reading stories, and I feel so much better. I've hardly picked at all this whole morning! :] My CSP is centered only on my bottom lip. I know that is no where near as bad as a lot of all you have it, but it is still a problem, and I am still embarrassed about it. It started about 5 years ago, when I was 13. I used to have really chapped lips and would just peel the excess skin off. No big... it would always heal by like, the end of the day, and it was only a teeny spot. However, it continued to get worse and worse - I kept doing it more and more, and now I don't have a high school memory where my bottom lip wasn't just a huge scab. It's so embarrassing... people ask me, "what happened to your lips?" or "uh, your lip is bleeding..." all disgusted and weirded out, and it makes me feel terrible. It also makes it difficult to do certain things with my mouth painlessly, like kissing my boyfriend or anything that involves stretching my lips. I feel like such a weirdo and I'm full of shame for what I do. I try to combat my CSP by putting Vaseline on my lips every night before I go to sleep, but that typically just makes the scab really soft and easy to pick off in the morning :/ I also try to cover my lips with lipstick, which actually works pretty well as long as I keep applying it... but when I forget, it dries my lips a lot and makes me want to pick at them more. There are periods of time when I have enough willpower to stop for a couple weeks, and each time that happens, I'm always so stoked and tell myself "never again," but of course, it does happen again eventually. I don't do it because I'm stressed... I just do it. The only way I am forced to stop is by getting acrylic nails, but I can't afford to get them all the time and they make it too difficult for me to play guitar. It kills me to read some stories on here about people who are in their 30's and have been picking for 15 years or so... I never want to end up like that. I want to stop so bad. I'm also scared that eventually it won't just be my lips, but I will move on to other parts of my face and body. I used to take scissors, pins, razor blades or toenails clippers and cut off the calloused skin on my finger tips and on my feet for a good portion of my childhood and adolescence (which has stopped inexplicably), so I know it's possible. I'm lucky to not have acne, because when I do get a pimple, I pick the hell out of it. Even if I get a pimple on my back that I can't reach, I make someone else pop it for me because I can't stand the thought of it being there. It's very cathartic in itself just to write my story out and feel like someone will be empathetic, but if anyone has any advice on how to help me stop, I would greatly appreciate your input. Thanks so much for reading what I had to say; it means a lot :]

On March 19th, 2013 Anonymoussss said:

Here's how to stop Leave it alone for a few days, If you can't stop, put some Elmer's glue on your hand and rub it, when it dries, peel it off. When you leave it alone for a few days it will become smooth and there will be nothing to pick at!! :) hope this works!!! Good Luck!!!

On March 19th, 2013 Anonymoussss said:

On February 4th, 2013 Jackblack638 said:

Hi, my names jack and I'm 13 years old and have been picking my lips and fingers ever since I was 3. I thought nothing of it but found out it could be caused by anxiety and other things. My dream job is to become an actor because I'm very confident and isn't afraid to get up on stage. So why do I pick my fingers and lips. It annoys me so much when my mam and dad complain but I know they are trying to help me. Does anyone know how I could stop. Any way possible

On January 8th, 2013 sarah276 said:

Just reading these is helping me. I have done this since I was a young child. I find it is worse when I am stressed! I never realised it was a disorder I just thought it was a weird thing I did, my lips get sore and bleed!

On September 26th, 2012 -Caroline- said:

I have been picking my lips for as long as I can remember as well. I usually pick them until they bleed. I have been asked what is wrong with my lips or why are they all red? A lot of people have seen me picking at my lips and I get so embarrassed. I haven't been to the doctor about this because I really didn't think it was a medical condition. I know a girl who has the disorder of constantly pulling out her hair and it made me think is my lip picking a condition. I researched online and it seems like it is. I found that it could be Dermatillomania. I am not sure what it is but i need to find out. were you diagnosed with a disorder? I know I need to stop because it does get painful and I don't want everyone always staring at my lips wondering what is wrong.

On June 19th, 2012 hereiam said:

I've been doing this for as long as I remember, and I'm almost 15. I always keep carmex with me. It relieves the sting when your lips are raw and works miracles. I like to use strawberry carmex because the smell and taste isn't as strong as the original. And it has 15 SPF sunscreen in it which is an added bonus. I used to be really bad about my lips, but have gotten better over the years because my parents would constantly tell me that I had chapped lips. I actually am aware of it every time I put my hands to my mouth now, so I only get the occasional notice. And yes, I have gotten the "your lips have been bleeding" thing too, which can be kind of embarrassing, especially when they say it right after you were talking to your crush. :/ What a turnoff... P.s. the first time I realizes that I messed with my lips was when my teacher pointed it out while I was preschool. The only person that knows about this is my best friend, who I also met in preschool. She does the same, but not nearly as much and as intense as I. But seriously, use the carmex. I'm pretty sure you can get it for under a dollar at Walgreens...and everywhere else.

On September 28th, 2011 Blompot91 said:

Who knew this was a common problem... I just want to know whether or not the reply you were given helped at all? I've tried most things, herbal plants, antibiotics, chili sauce, aloe extract... you name it I've applied it. Lipstick has become my mask because I try to wear red lipstick to hide the red blotches on my lips. Like you I have been picking at my lips since I was about 5, family members used to warn me that it would result in a 'rhino lip' and that I would be sorry. I have a tendency to scratch and pull and yes clip at calluses and even warts. Thanks to a lot of antibiotics I don't have a acne any more, but when I did I picked them too. I used to explain my scabs to piers by blaming it on my wild cat. It was so bad they believed me. The more I write the more I realize I might have to join a psychiatric website instead of a dermatological one because unlike happytown3000, I enjoy it enormously. I am ashamed by the reactions I get from people, but weighing the consequences, I always decide to pick anyway. I tend to pick when I'm sleepy, when I'm stressed, or even just deeply engaged in thought. As a child I used to wake up with bloodied fingers because I started doing it in my sleep. That did feel good to say :) I'm not even sure I posted this comment n the right place; any reply will be much appreciated though. Thanks so much

On April 1st, 2011 sharmaine73 said:

I sort of did that when I was a kid. But for me, having peeled sensitive cracking lips is like scratching nails across a chalkboard. I can't stop focusing on it (which is probably your problem). You want to quit but it's irritating so you keep doing the same thing to temporarily relieve discomfort but end up making the condition worse. I get it. There's a few things I would suggest you try. Seems you already realize lipstick is a way to deter your lip picking. I would also suggest you get something to numb your lips. Get some ambesol (it's for toothache pain. It's like the stuff the dentist spreads on your gums before he gives you a shot). It will numb your lips and you will be less distracted by them. Try and keep them moisturized, so switch form a lip stick to something that is petroleum based. Not chapstick or lip gloss. You want something that feels like Vasaline. Actually, you could get some anti-biotic ointment from the drug store (get ambesol there too), and spread some of that on your lips before you apply your lipstick. So here's the list: 1. Ambesol 2. Anti-biotic ointment 3. Lip Stick First apply ambesol and numb your lips up. Then apply anti-biotic ointment especially to the sore Then Cover it all with lipstick. Keep the ambesol with you so you can apply it as soon as you feel yourself picking or biting your lips. The anti-biotic will heal the sore in a few days, and the lipstick will keep you looking pretty. Good luck!

On April 3rd, 2011 happytown3000 said:

Thanks so much! :] Very helpful. I'm going to get all of those things asap. I think the numbing stuff will help a lot.

For information on the skin picking disorder (Dermatillomania), symptoms, causes and treatment methods, get the Complete Guide to Skin Picking Disorders.