Anyone begin using acrylic nails to stop picking?

Posted June 20th, 2009 by pumpky1107
Was wondering if getting acrylic nails would curtail the urge to pick since using my own nails to do it adds to the sensation. Maybe with fake ones, it would be too hard/awkward to continue picking. Sort of like gastric bypass for over-eathers! Let me know if you tried it. rdonnelly2021@comccast.net Would also like to be a part of a support system for picking with antone who wishes it as well.
‹ has anyone bought the book? I've only had this for a year, can i stop myself? ›
On February 12th, 2010 corimic said:
I am young and I was tired of trying so hard all the time to get rid of the pockets of fat that I had on various parts of my upper body. I decided to get CoolLipo done and I am pleased with the results thus far.
On January 19th, 2010 psych client said:
The solar nails worked for me until I bought a cuticle cutter. I went out and bought neosporin and bandaids and I'm healing the fingers that are really bad. If I can throw away the cutter, then I should be able to go back to stopping. I also use cuticle oil and try rubbing it in rather than picking...sometimes that works too.
On January 7th, 2010 hmf_74 said:
Acrylic nails never worked for me altho I have tried them many times. Sure I would stop for maybe a day or two, but it never lasted long. Id find finger nail clippers or tweezers to pick at my skin. Even the glue to adhere the acrylic to the nail would get on the skin and just cause me to find something to pick it off, and then I would just end up picking the skin since I was going at the glue. I stopped spending the money on them once it wasn't working. The only reason why it would work for a short period of time is because the acrylic was thicker than the actual nail, making it harder to use the nail to pick the skin. After several attempts with acrylic nails I just gave up on it and I continue even now to just find other ways to stop or postpone the picking.
On January 7th, 2010 hmf_74 said:
Acrylic nails never worked for me altho I have tried them many times. Sure I would stop for maybe a day or two, but it never lasted long. Id find finger nail clippers or tweezers to pick at my skin. Even the glue to adhere the acrylic to the nail would get on the skin and just cause me to find something to pick it off, and then I would just end up picking the skin since I was going at the glue. I stopped spending the money on them once it wasn't working. The only reason why it would work for a short period of time is because the acrylic was thicker than the actual nail, making it harder to use the nail to pick the skin. After several attempts with acrylic nails I just gave up on it and I continue even now to just find other ways to stop or postpone the picking.
On January 1st, 2010 robinhood said:
It may be possible. To be very honest I have not heard about it. Just I have some Idea about the nail art... and if we talk about fake things. I use Fake Handbags which are awesome. Regards: http://www.replica-handbags-shop.com/
On August 26th, 2009 pumpky1107 said:
Thanks for all your input everyone. Really appreciate it. I still pick at the cuticle skin and my face with these nails. Having the acrylics for the 1st time was like a challange for me to overcome to continue picking. I won of course so no sense getting these filled anymore. Too much $$ when I still pick anyway. Any advice on getting these off? Plan on soaking in 100% acetone when I can let my cuticles heal up enough to avoid the pain against raw areas.........
On December 21st, 2009 gorillamom said:
gmom I tried the fake nail thing. At first it helped because the acrylic nails and thicker than your own nails. But the picking won out. Instead of using my nails, I started using a tweezers to pick. My skin was beginning to get better when 2 weeks ago, one of my business partners left our practice. My skin got really bad almost instantly. I don't remember beginning to pick more. I had one leg almost free from scabs and my arms looked great. But almost immediately, I noticed that I was scratching. My arms got tiny little bumps from my scratching. I am awaken at night by my itching. What really frustrating is that I can go the entire day without picking at my legs - but at night in my sleep, I start picking and that wakes me up. And I can't get back to sleep. I do have a hypnosis CD for stress and weight loss. When I listen to that, it helps me sleep. I always fall asleep before the CD completes. On the worst part of one of my legs, the skin is so thin that there is a sound of scraping when I pick at that skin. I wish that picking weren't so satisfying (in the moment I am doing it). It's like eating when stressed. It really does calm me down. So each time I pick (or eat when it's not mealtime) I am reinforcing the behavior because it does relieve the tension. A psychiatrist friend suggested I see a behavior therapist. I will make an appt because if she can teach me techniques that also have immediate relief of tension then I could substitute the new techniques rather than pick. Thanks to everyone who posts. It really helps just to know there are others like me out there.
On September 2nd, 2009 Becca said:
The first time I got acrylic nails they almost did not put them on for me because my nails were so short from nail biting. They said if I started biting on the acrylic I wouldn't want to bite my nails anymore. Well...The acrylic didn't stop me. I also had to dig more to get the dead skin out from under my nails but it was time filling...Yes it is expensive and a lot of maintence to keep up. I am the most highest low maintence chick I know lol.
On August 23rd, 2009 bobbyking said:
Hi, I am an nail biter and skin picker as well. I have used acrylic nails in the past and for me it really was a life saver. I bit my nails so that there was not nail left at all. I felt a sigh of relief when I had them put on. I make them really short. I went in maybe every two weeks and had them revised. My nails grew back under the acrylic nails. If one fell off I went back in and had them reseal it. It took about 6 months for me to feel in control and at that point my nails had no flaws and I was able to stop biting.
On August 22nd, 2009 Deidre said:
I'm 50 and have been picking my skin for years. My picking is mainly done on my fingers and the palms of my hands, but I also have a difficult time leaving cuts, stitches or sunburns, etc alone. This past winter I had surgery on my elbow and kept messing with the incision until I had opened it up. I had to have another surgery! When I was in my teens I mainly picked at my lips and the inner cheeks of my mouth. A couple of years ago, I began peeling off pieces of skin and then putting them in my mouth to chew on. I still do this. I get almost like a "high" when I pick my skin. I tried using the acrylic nails to keep myself from being able to pick, but that didn't work because I just went out and bought a pair of tweezers for getting out splinters.....these kinds of tweezers have very sharp points on them and makes it really handy to peel with. I've been in psychological counseling for about 2 years now for past sexual abuse and for an abusive marriage. I take 90mg of Cymbalta daily which helps with depression, but so far as I can tell, does nothing for the skin picking.
On August 22nd, 2009 Diva Who Picks said:
Hey girls, I'm a scalp picker. If I can find scabs on my scalp, I am one happy camper. Isn't that terrible?! Well, I must say this topic really caught my eye because acrylic nails were like an instant CURE for me. Actually, I'm a scalp and lip picker, but I also have a tendancy to rub at my skin in a destructive way. Acrylic nails literally prevent me from scratching and picking at my scalp to the point where I even forget I have this compulsion to do it. It completely goes away. Sometimes I will feel a little ... I don't know, I guess lost? Because I can't pick with the nails. But it goes away quickly. It also helps me to forget that I want to rub my skin, too. The acrylic nails are literally a god-send for me, I really cannot cope without them. Which is unfortunate for me becaue I lost my job almost two months ago and I haven't been able to afford the nails since then. Before that I constantly had acrylic (or gel) nails for almost a year. My scalp had completely healed. But as soon as the nails were gone, I was picking again, even with the flismy and damaged nails that I had! Also, my boyfriend is black and has a naturally dry scalp and dredlocks and he loves it when I scratch his scalp, which is horrible for my own personal scratching condition, which he knows nothing about. I'm sure he sees me scratching my scalp, but I think he just thinks I have a dry scalp, too. I even pick off his little clunks of dandruff, but he doesn't realize how nasty it is because i think he just thinks I'm soothing him and trying to get the gunk off of his scalp, I know he doesn't realize that I'm enjoying it. Ugh. Fake nails make it hard for me to peel my lips, but I definitely still feel crazy and like I need help. I can't afford it though, I don't have insurance. I hope this site helps.
On August 19th, 2009 Jollye said:
I've tried using creams, but I never remember past the first day to keep using them. ... of picking and they begin to hurt is when I even realize I'm doing it. face treatments | cheek implants | laser eyelid surgery
On August 13th, 2009 Sleep the Clock... said:
Acrylic nails were like a fun, hard tool that let me have a free-for-all on my face. I have a cheaper, and for me, more effective option. I clip my nails down to the cuticle and then I use a little electric/battery-powered nail-file to thin out my nails, pretty much almost to the point that it is painful, and then smooth down any lingering rough edges. I can't open a soda by myself, but when I'm feeling really desperate, it gives me a few days of peace to deal.
On August 14th, 2009 pumpky1107 said:
My face picking has gotten out of control with these nails! Trading one for another.............
On August 13th, 2009 tonysbricksmoocher14 said:
I keep mine that short too.
On August 11th, 2009 slaggy said:
I just pick until the nails fall off. I found myself actually enjoying the acrylic nail-picking as if on some sort of vacation or perhaps like, a challenge. I found it maybe lessened the picking but barely anything noticable. You get used to the nails like you get used to wiping your butt with the nails on. :(
On August 12th, 2009 pumpky1107 said:
Yeah, I've found ay around the nails to continue picking. I can still pick my face with the acrylics and somewhat my fingers. Seems I've been worse on my face now. What a vicious circle this is................
On August 11th, 2009 julie123 said:
Acne is mainly caused due to overproduction of sebum in sebaceous glands of the body. Diet containing much oil must be avoided to prevent from acne. Balanced nutritious diet should be taken. http://www.skinb5.com/
On August 1st, 2009 pumpky1107 said:
Finally got my acrylics done today. Had to let my thumbs heal first! Well, its too hard to pick at the skin on my fingers but I've been going at my face with them. This is such a destructive disorder, How depressing for us all..............
On July 31st, 2009 secoble said:
i have found that when i do get the acrylic nails i still pick... but it actually doesnt do as much damage to the skin bc the nail is thicker... so i still picked it just didnt scar as bad bc they wont let u dig so much and wont break the skin as easy
On July 24th, 2009 deniyal said:
Does anyone else do this ? I have been picking since i was a teenager. ... The only time I was ever able to stop was when I had acrylic ... liposuction
On July 24th, 2009 ipick42 said:
Hi I 22 almost 23 and I've picked my face since I was probably 12, or whenever I first started getting zits. I have had a clear face for 1 year !!!!!!!!! I had gel nails that whole year. But I can't afford them anymore and I broke them so now they're gone as of 2 weeks ago and my face is really picked all of a sudden all over again. i am very sad about this :( When I wasn't picking my face for that year though, I bit apart all inside my mouth, my cheeks, my tongue. Ewww i did the picky thing inside my mouth :'( Now after ive take off the fake nails, my nails are completely wrecked, they will take at least 6 months for my nails to grow back to normal... u kno when they tear up a road ?.. yea thats what my nails look like !! So now my face, my mouth AND my once beautiful nails are all wrecked all at once within the last 2 weeks :'( :'( :'(
On July 10th, 2009 bas said:
If i was a lady i would use acrylics and concealer.... take every advantage that you can. On the other hand, being a guy made me face my picking more directly simply because i could not hide it, therefore motivating me to pick less.
On July 24th, 2009 pumpky1107 said:
I think you are right that women can hide their picking more then men which sometimes enables us to keep picking. Good luck to you
On July 8th, 2009 Sals said:
Hi, I'm brand new here and this is my first post. I pick my scalp. I'm a nail technician and constantly wear nail enhancements. Unfortnately I found it hasn't helped at all, but maybe that's because they feel like my real nails.
On July 5th, 2009 Trini said:
I'm new also to this site, but yes, acrylic nails help, except they have to be very thick to were you really can stab your self with it. I did use acrylic nails in California wich the style is thick! and it really does help. I am very open about my scab picking problem because I find out that they do have some kind of problem similar to our and it makes me feel better because I feel that I'am not alone. They also open to the situation and let me know they have some kind of OCD problem them self too. It makes both understand each other that we all have some kind of problem and that we are not alone. I think that many people have some kind of obsession or addiction but we have to find a solution to this problem. Back to the point of scab picking I also think that triming your nails as short and close to you skin will also help reduce the picking. Also, what helps me is putting band-aid with antibiotic on them and it heals them faster. I notice this also heals them super fast and don't have to worried about the scabs on my arms. My back is my problem. It looks like someone shot me all over my back and is so enberassing that I have to wear a t-shirt when I go to the pool with my kids. I also have been a long time scab picker ever since I was a little child. Another of my problems is that I want to pick the scabs on other people. I get so obsessed that it's on my mind and I just picture peeling that scab off of another person.
On July 24th, 2009 diamondintherough said:
I have been picking for around 10 years,although I have always scratched my scalp.Mostly I pick at my face,but recently, I have begun picking everywhere.The problem is,because it is such an automatic thing when I feel stressed (which is pretty much ALL the time),I have actually picked at my bum cheeks in public ! Embarrassing. Also,having my family yelling at me to " STOP PICKING YOUR FACE !" doesn't help,just makes me more stressed. Also, if I am rubbing my boyfriends back, I have to pick at him if I feel any bumps.I think I am going to try a fidget item,and Vitamin B injections (my girlfriend is a nurse,so she can do it for me) I am glad there is a forum where we can discuss this without having to feel bad about it.
On February 21st, 2010 zainy said:
please tell me... what is a fidget item, i've never heard of it? and how do the vitamin B injections help? xx
On June 25th, 2009 todayistoday said:
I wish it were that simple... I pick with my knuckles.
On November 14th, 2009 reneemc said:
i know what it's like to pick my knuckle. when i was 11, i got a cut and scar on one of my knuckles and for years after, i proceeded to pick and chew on it and it got huge. family and friends noticed and made comments constantly. i was so confused as to why i couldn't stop. for some reason i was able to stop. i have however been a cuticle biter and picker for 33 years, since age 7. the only thing that slows me down is artificial nails.
On June 24th, 2009 Mrs Pickerton said:
Yesssss it does help!! I recently started growing my natural nails out....SO proud of myself for not biting them - and it's made my scalp picking exponentially worse. The only thing with the acrylic nails is - it's easy to cheat by using the sides of the nails, which are sharper. Or by digging in WAY harder to get to the scabs. It does help, though.
On June 24th, 2009 chickenlegs224 said:
I got acrylic nails to stop biting my nails but because I couldn't feel my fingertips I just ended up doing even more damage to my skin. Although it it a lot harder to pick with them on I ended up with bigger bruises on my face from trying to pick with them. I don't know if it is just me but that is my story ;)
On June 20th, 2009 serenitynow said:
Hi! Yes, I've just recently tried this approach; have had one "fill" so far. Dang disorder has me trying to "outsmart" my nails and trying to see if I can still pick. So far my cuticles are doing MUCH better as a result of the acrylics, and the nails deter picking of some finer hairs on my legs/arms. It's been interesting to want to pick SO BADLY at something and be thwarted. Almost annoying and frustrating tho I ought to be happy, right??! I'm still able to pick at my kp arms; the nails are thicker and blunter, so I think that helps with lessening the injury/'breaking the skin. Also, just the new sensation helps to bring the picking to my consciousness, at least it did moreso during the 1st week. The downsides: After a few weeks some of the edges are coming off my nail beds, which I find rather unsightly. It gets expensive and time consuming to get them filled. I'm a naturalist, so I was petrified that someone would notice and think I was a fake (yes, caring what other people think strikes again!) Let me know what you decide. I'll email you, too, as I'm seeking all the support I can get and I would love to support you on your life-changing journey! Best wishes, Katie
On June 20th, 2009 pumpky1107 said:
I have long, natural nails and am considering the acrylics even though they damage your nails just to stop this picking! I agree the cost of maintaining the nails is something to think about. Thx for emailing me as well. I can totally understand you trying to find ways around the nails to continue to pick! Is this the first time you've done the acrylic nails? Let me know how it goes for you and if it seems to work for you, I will get them done as well.
For information on the skin picking disorder (Dermatillomania), symptoms, causes and treatment methods, get the Complete Guide to Skin Picking Disorders.