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wendyg , 07 Mar 2009

how to heal open wounds

Hi, first I want to say thankyou to everyone for sharing, my heart goes out to you and I send you love. I started picking 15 years ago and the last five years stripping skin off my face with tweezers thinking I could fix the scab or get the hair I see.I have severe to me scarring, 13 open nickle size wounds on my face and have searched and tried erverything to heal them which I only seem to blister or scab.It has stopped my life,not wanting to go anywhere or even see my family.I have stopped using tweezers and feel very strong that I can stop the picking.Does anyone have advice on what products to use prescriptin or ovc,keep things moist or not,bandades?,or share that your skin actually healed and how long.I feel like I look like a monster , I'm scared,I'm so ashamed.I thankyou so much for being so kind to help.
79 Answers
rosie
March 07, 2009
Hi Wendy --- thank you for your love and your openness. I'm sending some right back at you! So I've been a picker for a good dozen years now and have scarred lots too... just 2 weeks ago I found a pimple on my cheek (that of course wasn't ready yet, but I thought I could still get it out!) and I picked it soooo badly that I had a huge dark brown scab by the morning, absolutely mortified to leave the house, and even to see my family at a family dinner the next day... I knew everyone would wonder what the heck I did to my face! Anyhow, I understand your shame and frustration with this, as I've picked absolutely everything on my body for every reason under the sun. But I've really got things under control now, and that's soooo awesome that you're feeling so strong about stopping picking! So anyways, back to my ugly scab! I've tried everything for picking wounds, and I've finally figured out what I have to do when I pick! Of course, wash your face in the morning and at night to keep everything clean, and moisturize, and then I apply a bit of Polysporin to the area and gently rub it in, both at morning and before bed. The biggest thing though is that after you picked the spot once and realize the damage you've probably just caused, do not touch it again!!! Because think that everytime you touch it your're spreading infection and hurting the skin cells by picking. Also, I don't use bandaids or anything because you want it to breath still. It's good if the scab is nice and hard b/c it protects the new skin that's growing underneath. Do not pull the scab off! It'll start falling off when it's ready to. And I managed to keep my hands off my face and scab and the GIANT scab came off in 3-4 days and there was pretty skin -- a little pink though -- underneath. So everytime you touch a scab or pimple after you've already picked it, you're causing so much more trouble! So if you picked it once, just let it be! My new philosophy is that if I have a big scar or scab, I'm going to rock it out! That way people around me will see me, not the poor little sad girl with marks. And it's true, it works! And Wendy, your body's natural course is towards well being, and your scars will fade and all your skin will heal. It really doesn't take too long. You just can't touch it. And when you wake up each day you'll feel more and more beautiful!
wendyg
March 08, 2009

In reply to by rosie

Rosie,Thankyou so much for your advice and encouragement.I never learned how to type so everyone please forgive me. I have deep scarring on my nose and chin,I wonder if the deep peeling will ever stop and will my skin ever look a little smooth. Maybe there is something I can do later after I heal.Is there anything I can do for you Rosie?I believe we are cocreaters in life and I question why I am not healing or creating new with my mind and thoughts.Has anyone found a spirit mind practice that has caused healing or change?LOVE to everyone!!
VABBY22
July 07, 2011

In reply to by wendyg

Hi Wendy, I wanted to share a few products that have really helped me get through some of the hardest times- the scars the big huge red scabs, the pigmented skin, the peeling, the everything. I have had spots as big as nickels too and oh my god, it is the most miserable feeling and sight ever. I used to re-pick all scabs that would form thinking it helps. I actually am currently healing from skin picking. I rarely pick at my skin anymore and my skin has never looked better. I still have some episodes that happen and I kind of jolt myself back into my old mindset and behaviours but I am finally doing pretty well and have a grasp on things. If you go to www.suuthe.com they have AMAZING products. They use shea butter and emu oil products and they do not clog your pores and they will heal spots and will help even out your skin tone over time. Also, Living Libations at www.livinglibations.com has a product called Best Skin Ever: Seabucktorn and that is what I currently use to wash and moisturize my face. I never have thought that I had glowing skin until I found this product. Another thing that really helps me is doing raw honey masks. Yes, honey, the sticky lovely stuff. It may sound nuts but it helps SO much. It is naturally anti-bacterial and will help heal and moisturize your skin. Make sure it is RAW honey though. Anything treated with heat will destroy the structure and effects. I normally now don't put anything on my skin that I can't eat. Your skin does repair itself overnight, so if you have it in you, try to find the strength to really trust your skin to heal itself with the help of some products. Trust me, me getting to a week in my 30 day challenge of no picking was the most amazing feeling in the world. Believe in yourself, you can do it. Also, if you haven't referenced www.stoppickingonme.com- please please go to the website! This really helped me get started. Many Blessing to you all.
deig123
July 29, 2010

In reply to by rosie

Thank You for those words, although not meant for me, Lol, they really helped when I needed it, which is now. I am an opiate addict in recovery. I stopped using drugs & now I tweezed my eyebrows until they all disappeared. Ive been doing this for a few years. I look like a cancer patient (that coming from my sister, nice, Huh?). As soon as I see one start to grow or even see a spot underneath my skin, I'll dig it out, no matter how deep or how bloody it gets. I now have like 8 scabs on my skin where my eyebrows used to be. So I needed to hear what to do. I did give up my tweezers, the $30 pair, only to go back out & buy another. This has happened twice already. I'm so tired of looking this way & feeling ashamed of myself. I'm going to take your advice! Also, I've found that MAKE UP 4 EVER, has a waterproof liquid eyebrow tube, you put it on with an angled brow brush. That helps when you need to make realistic eyebrows where there are none. And I use primer, foundation, concealer, & then finishing or setting power to complete the process. BENEFIT has a great concealer called ERASE PASTE, it's a miracle worker to cover scabs/damage. okay, I'm babbling, Take Care & Good Luck to Everyone. I'm going to try & apply the 12 steps of NA, to my picking/tweezin as well. It's worked for the pills, so...............Let's HOPE!!!! Deig123
Jnicole1303
January 21, 2016

In reply to by deig123

You wrote this comment so long ago but I have a lot of the same issues with my eyebrows but years have gone by and anxiety and stress or a blemish in addition to an already in the mirror moment...anyways I have a scar on my right eye brow and I need to know the makeup that you are talking about please share the brand kind and where I can get it I have a gap in my eyebrow and try everything to make it not noticeable I have eyebrows with A natural high arch to begin with in sddition the missing hair due to picking scar is like right before the arc in the beginning of the arc and eyebrow makeup is crucial so I need all the good info and advice I can get from you and I will share with you what I have found to work well in my search to figure out how to get back the youthful look. Of in tainted or touched perfect ski and hair on fade as weird as that sounds

davey baby
February 16, 2016

In reply to by rosie

Buety creams such as age defying moisturises are awsome they tighten the skin for up to six hours or so and make us apear younger over prolonged use I would say based on personal use they cause scars to diminish in flamboyance.now with that being said..moisurises may cause pimples from time to time .I would not mix product lines.I would say that just the buety creams work great.and yes guys you can use them too even if your not like me.just put the product on the counter and if to much publicity happens and you feal uncomfortable do what I did at vickys in earlier years.say yeah my girlfriend wants these for her bday .thanks you been a great help.now not recomended for dudes or personel with an extreme case of acme is cheap product.do not use cheap make up.also do not washwith hard soap the face or places prone to pimples.use soft liquid face soaps and also a expholiating scrub facial wash make sure it is for your body and or your face don't mix that up.now you can use a hard bar of soap if its brand new after that it is basicly useless to you full of bavteria causes more pimples.don't care if u washed it just say no.now razors newer the razor head really the cleaner and sharper I should say the better off you are.on the legs if to may nicks are happening and you get out of the water and it looks like a horror show..use the pink battery operated razors you find at the grocery stores and type as long as the are dual sided for edgeing and two round crylinder like things with a grated shield thing over them wish I could show u a pic.I will if u email me.thisWill cut down on cuts on legs and other areas other than the face.now I'm going to attempt to be very specific becuase I know how serious this is.if u have alergies to smell goods and buety products know your limits and act responably.when washing a hand held female razor battery operated remeber old hair is your enemy bacteria! Grease is also.wash well under hot water and use tools such as small brushes and touthpick sized items to remove hair from the little buzzer tracks and blades.its alright to use industrial cleaners such as lysol because it kills so many germs.make sure its all removed and washed over severel times with your favorite body wash or faced soap.I must be clear no agents like that can remain on the razors edge or wheel or track becuse personaly I feal those cleaning agents can be erosive to the skin.but you want to get off the grease to use a degreaser from the kitchen sink.plenty on the market ask mom.but remeber germs are the cause of a lot of this so is grease our pours naturaly have glands that sucrete or omit these greases so rember to wash yoir hair daily.do not use any conditioner if hairs greasy.use alittle if that is all u need.now clothes need to be clean also this is a big effort.so if u throw your clothes on a pile on the floor after use don't do that anymore hang them up neatly or at least shove them in a draw away fromb socks and undergarmets.there are other ways of evening the skin after scarring and other ways of preventing breakouts.these are just a few basic tips to get u started.now in addition to these preventive and recovery mesures I want to tell you as a man I habe cut myself shaving before I'm sure we all have.it doesn't matter if its the face legs or armpits of you use a straight razor it could and probly will eventualy happen .now if you are cut and don't want to bandage and tape and its not severe.take a hair dryer and dry the efectted minor minor tiny laceration until it coagulates.or hardens into a scab.the heat and dryness will overcome many cuts in lessthan one minutes time.now on a more serious note.if you find somone seriosusly wounded with puntures to the abdomen .or even the legs hands or foot and it seems so severe that blood loss is going to be fatal..get seran wrap from the kitchen plastic kitchen wrap get a big long piece.wrap the whole thing tight around the effected flesh.make a belt or gurtle out of it.get them inv the back of the truck and to the hospital.this is a very uncommon way to easily and temporaly save a life and I want you to know.if use on the head the hair may make the seal hard to acheive so conventioanl quick bandeges are recomended by myself.I am no doctor.but I don't want the quick clot powder in my skull and I don't think the wrap would be the most effectI've aproach to the head wounds I recieved in the past.thanks all much love.out

mizzbabylove01
November 27, 2009
Hey, I have the same problems like you too I thought if I pick it, then everything would be ok, but i was wrong. Now i have scars all over my face, i hate it. I would cry in front of the mirror, looking at myself. I dnt know what i should do. I just hope one day i can look at myself and smile. I hope you will too. Beauty is within, but the outside does matter too!
davey baby
February 16, 2016

In reply to by mizzbabylove01

Retraction.if u are expriencing heavy pimples and bad acne try to use the good stuff.that goes for makeup especially.cheap product has been known to do more than cause pimples.it may even get you sick if bought feom an illrgitemet source.there arr boot leggers out there in every industry even cosmetics.last place I buy make up is dolar store.walmart has some stuff.prefer the pharmacy

davey baby
February 16, 2016

In reply to by mizzbabylove01

Retraction.if u are expriencing heavy pimples and bad acne try to use the good stuff.that goes for makeup especially.cheap product has been known to do more than cause pimples.it may even get you sick if bought feom an illrgitemet source.there arr boot leggers out there in every industry even cosmetics.last place I buy make up is dolar store.walmart has some stuff.prefer the pharmacy

Noscubs
November 28, 2009
Your skin needs the scabs for healing. If there are no scabs forming even if you don't touch your skin you should see a doctor. If you feel ashamed about the scabs, allow yourself to stay at home while the wounds are healing. Please don't remove the scabs, because they are essential. No product can replace your own body's mechanisms for healing. Your face is a sensitive area. Well, it's easy to say this, isn't it? I too go digging into open wounds with tweezers, so please don't think I follow these rules eighter! But, it is very important that we understand the risk of it! One day it might be too late, and the results can be worse than only cosmetical.
elipicker
July 27, 2010
Hi! It has been a while since i picked my face as badly as i have this time. my face is so sore and red. I have alot of pick marksright now but three large oozing ones that concealer wont adhere to. Anyway im actually writing not to complain but to help my fellow pickers. I picked my face due to lack of sleep and too many cafeine pills. Anxiety and stimulants lead to disaster when left alone with a mirror! The good news is this is a very rare occurance these days! i have been through hell and back due to this issue and i wanted to share some information as to how to prevent picking and how to heal when prevention didnt work and lastly i want to let everyone know there is a permenant solution to scaring from facial picking!! Prevention- Medication is a wonderful thing. Seeking psychiatric tretment can really help! the right medication can do wonders in relieving the obsessions and stopping the compulsion. SSRI's seem to work for many people who battle this disorder. Prozac in particular saved my life. In conjunction with medication are tricks to stay away from picking. !. Do not have tweezers, pins, sewing needles ect. available!! Get them out of your house! Get your eyebrows done out of the home. limit mirrors! One mirror is all a home needs. Limit checking. If you wake up with a killer pimple that you want to literally rip off your face. Go to the bathroom only when mandatory and leave the door open. Privacy only allows us to get lost in the mirror and begin dig and sqeeze fest. Close your eyes and walk past the mirror. Avoid any opportunity to have prolonged mirror visit. Put make up on in front of someone holding a small nonmagnifying mirror far from your face. Apply it only 1 time. Move on. Make a concios effrot to keep your day moving forward. Dystractors are great. Avoid anxiety provoking situations. Don't have this be the day you are going to apply for jobs! If you have an under the skin pimple that yu know will not go away on its ownschedule an emergancy dermatologist visit for a cortizone injection. Make sure the injection is diluted so that it doesnt leave an indentation. Also remeber too much of anything is never a good thing. Therefore when washing your face be quick and gentle There is no need for washclothes astringant, acne pads ect. less is more! What to do if you did pick. Don't panic whats done is done and nothing is permanent! Breathe. Wash the area with either dove soap or cetaphil gentle cleanser. then gently pat dry. Apply topical that drys out oozing or weing wounds let area dry out a bit then apply concealer with mirror far away and do it quickly! Move on! The less you fuss with the wound the faster it will heal!! Lastly if you did "permanent" damage and have created poc marks ect. Make an appointment with a plastic surgeon (Dr. andrew miller) and get a syringe of silicone.filler. Depending on the size and depth of area he will fill the holes with this permanent filler in seconds. your skin will plump back up and you will look as if you never picked a day in your life.. The results are permanent/ Sometimes another round or two of injections is needed depends on damage u created. This filler is not crazy expensive and is forever. It is done using the microdropl techniqu. and the area will not overfill. It saved my face and it aved my life!! Good Luck!
suzi03
July 06, 2011
Hi all, I don't know if the people on here still need help with their skin but....for scar or wound healing or ANY skin irritations use miracell oil. It's a really small bottle like 14ml and depending on where you get it from, can be expensive sometimes, I paid $30.00. I'm not sure where you can purchase it from as I got it from a small herbal store. Here is a link though that might help ... http://www.completehealth.com.au/Products/Miracell__14.7ml_oil.aspx It helped me clear some of the most disguisting scars. HOPE THAT HELPS!!
serenety87
August 23, 2011
Hi there...I found out something very interesting. It took a freak accident to discover this too. I use to pick, and have over come that habit, and gotten laser resurfacing, and almost was back to the way my skin use to be, and than go figure I had to take this nasty fall and hit my cheek on a bed frame and take a chunk out of my cheek. It was awful. There was a big indentation. I read to keep the wound from scabbing, scabs hinder cell growth and skin repair and tempt us to pick, and the scabs leave scars. The trick is to wash with mild soap and water 3 times a day, cake on neosporin or vaseline and a bandaid and change the ointment and bandaid 3 times a day. Do not let the wound or cut hit the air for too long. By doing this, the moist environment promotes skin growth and the skin fuses back together 100 percent. I watched my wound go from looking like a spoon scooped out a piece of my cheek, to better every day until 15 days later it was almost completely level with the rest of my skin. It's almost there, and I can hardly tell it happened. Every day it's closer to back to normal. I recommend this healing process for any one with hope :) Keep a positive attitude and be patient with your skin. The bandaid helps so much because it helps you pretend it's not there and you don't have to look at it constantly, and every day it's a nice surprise to peel it off and see the healing results. So remember, no scab, no scar :) and remember NOT to use oils like Bio Oil, or Vitamin E until AFTER the skin has closed up and no longer open or weeping. These products hinder cell fusion and growth when a wound is open, but work Very well to heal a wound the rest of the way, after it's closed and light pink.
violablue
November 12, 2012

In reply to by serenety87

Wow thank you for this info! Actually I was looking for confirmation with what *I think* works for me and this is it. I also found out by accident. Before bed I put some liquid bandage over my chin where the picked-at spots were looking like they were going to scab over (it stung for a minute) and in the morning they were so much better. Then when I peeled off the liquid bandage the skin was pink but looked good. It works the same as a regular bandaid, keeps the air out. Much better than putting up with scabs for days.
Never.Giving.Up
August 23, 2011
Use Vitamin E oil (I use Jamieson) on your wounds, I notice improvement after a day (well not like "omg my skin is perfect now" more like it aids the healing process, and the sticky oil feels so amazing on my skin). It also prevents you to pick since it stays on for 8 hours and absorbs into ur skin -try putting a little on before you sleep, in the morning you will feel so much better about yourself.
Pointedancer14
October 12, 2011
Don't worry I feel all your pain. Whenever I see a scab I have to pick at it. When I was in first grade I hit my head on the coffe table and I had a giant scar on my forehead. I wanted to pick at it so bad but if I did I would need stitches. And of couse it was picture day and I had a huge bandaid on my forehead. Now I have a perminent indent on my forehead. So all I have to say is be confident. Even if you have an ugly little scab, don't let it get you down. If you have true friends they will still love you. I use to have really bad eczama. I had scabs big and small every where. On my fingers, the inside of my elow, feet, my ears, and the back and side of my knees. I never wanted to wear shorts during the summer or go swimming with friends. I finally just said to myself "you know what, I am me. No one can change me. If you don't like me, you can get over it." Thats what makes you beautiful. Self courage. I always wore bandaids as a second skin. They always wondered why. I was honest and told them instead of making up excuses. I told them I had eczama. They helped me through it. I still have two friends to this day that get mad at me when I scratch and itch. They remember all the spots I had eczama in. So when ever I scratch one of those spots they tell me to stop. They hold onto my hand and say stop. All my friends helped me through it. But it was my two best friends that helped me the most. I had eczama since I was 4. I am now 14 and no longer have any eczama. It was all because of my friends. So what I am trying to say is don't be ashamed. Nobody's perfect. We all have problems. And in our eyes they are serious. But in someone else's its so small. So tell your friends. They will not judge you. If they do well that just means that you are awsome and they want to look cool and they are not true friends. So just remember you are awsome. P.S. don't pick at your scabs. I know its hard but just think whenever you look in the mirror say to yourself "I am beautiful and hey the scabs will be gone in a few days and I will not have to worry about them for a while." I believe in all of you. <3 <3 <3
kate
October 19, 2011
I do the exact same thing. With holes all over my chest and face. The Band Aids, I adore are the advanced healing. You leave them on for 3 days are majority of scabs will be healed. I used them all over my body, only problem is that they are a little noticeable. So you may have to cover them
natssplats
February 13, 2012
I am only 10 and I have the same trouble! I have big marks all over my face because mine were once spots!!! I use Savlon gel and I only got it a few days ago and I have seen a MASSIVE improvement. You could probably get it in... a pharamacy as I live in the UK and got it from superdrug!

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