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wildflower , 10 Apr 2010

A healthy skin healing guide to help stop picking.

This is a guide to follow to allow picked skin to heal. This, along with a serious, determined commitment to stop your harmful behaviours to yourself just might end your bad habits by replacing them with good ones. Give it a serious 30 day try and see how it works for you. Commitment and determination are keys to your success with this as with anything. --------->> each evening, CLEAN your skin – use a gentle cleanser with warm water, not hot because hot water dehydrates. Do a final rinse with cool water to close pores and calm inflammation. --------->> DO NOT PICK --------->> BANDAGE open sores and anything tempting to pick at immediately - keep bandages on as long as possible (especially overnight) to allow healing. Bandages deter sores from being picked at and keep wounds moist and protected from contamination. Seek out the kind that work best for you. --------->> MOISTURIZE your skin - avoiding bandaged areas. Use gentle effective moisturizers such as olive oil, vitamin e oil, Cetaphyl, or Aveeno, etc. especially in dry climates and seasons. Be cautious with products with fragrances. --------->> SLEEP WELL - Get 7hrs + nightly on bedding cleaned weekly (consider fragrance-free hypoallergenic laundry detergent) --------->> each morning, CLEAN gently with warm water and cool rinse --------->> DO NOT PICK --------->> BANDAGE up what can be kept bandaged to continue to promote healing. --------->> MOISTURIZE and/or APPLY SUNSCREEN as appropriate before applying makeup that isn't recontaminating your skin. --------->> DO NOT PICK – throughout the day use what deterrents help: snapping an elastic on your wrist, wearing gloves, using only candle light in bathrooms, sitting on hands watching tv, driving with both hands on the wheel, anything that helps. --------->> take a MULTIVITAMIN --------->> DRINK LOTS OF WATER throughout the day --------->> EAT WELL – a good diet for skin includes whole grains, water, green tea, omega 3 fatty acids (salmon, walnuts, flax seeds, avocados), low fat yogurt, berries (esp blue berries), nuts (esp walnuts, almonds, cashews, brazil nuts, pistachios), cottage cheese, mangoes, whole grains, good oils (olive, safflower, canola), and carrots/sweet potatoes --------->> AVOID too much caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, sugar, and fried foods - these are counter productive to maintaining good stress levels and healthy conditions for skin --------->> EXERCISE – take walks - at minimum, 10,000 steps per day is recommended. It naturally stimulates anti-depressant activity in the brain. --------->> AVOID STRESS - EMPLOY STRESS MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES – research this to see what you can do within your limitations regarding your circumstances. Seek help with this if necessary. It may be the underlying cause of CPD --------->> NETWORK with others that understand skin picking disorders. -- SUPPORT EACH OTHER – this is the best, to know we are not alone. --------->> CONSULT WITH YOUR MEDICAL SUPPORT periodically - confide with your health care professionals about what you're up against and what YOU are doing, realizing that they can only assist you. --------->> RESEARCH relevant topics: wound healing, skin needs, picking disorders, stress management. Information and knowledge is empowering. --------->> REWARD and PAMPER yourself for your accomplishments. Be loving and caring toward yourself. Natural facials (banana, avocado, honey) and milk/salt/baking powder bath soaks are nice and healing. --------->> Be FORGIVING if you experience setbacks. Negative self talk is counter productive. --------->> KEEP ON TRACK with your commitment. Focus on the goal to be free from picking and having healthy skin. --------->> JOURNALIZE - record keeping helps keeping on track. --------->> BELIEVE - It IS POSSIBLE with a serious effort. --------->> LOVE your skin rather than harm it. -------->> ... modify this basic list as appropriate according to your specific issue(s)
18 Answers
wildflower
April 20, 2010
this is a good beginning to changing self harming ways into self loving ways ... a good beginning to healthier skin ... it does take commitment though ... choose a healthy life style and choose it for yourself ... you are worth it ... and you owe it to yourself to take care of yourself ... others will come and go in your life and you need to be taking care of you ....
wildflower
April 20, 2010

In reply to by simplicity

hello, simplicity. welcome to this site. it would be nice to communicate directly, but i can be terrible with email so this is likely the best way. feel free to seek out all the topics i have created and know that i'm trying to follow all new posts and topics in this forum and i take part in the discussions as i feel appropriate. i look forward to reading your posts.
wildflower
April 26, 2010

In reply to by simplicity

i just put this into another topic but thought it would be good here too, for you ........................ >>>> there is another forum about skin picking. it is ... stoppickingonme.com ... with the forum being stoppickingonme.com/bb/ ... there is a wealth of information on the site .... but it is in the discussion forum that you can register ...... upon registering there you can create your own journal that provides a personal interaction location about you for you and others ... and of course you are able to interact with others in their personal journal ... there are many topic threads in another area that are like the topics here and can be added to ... it is possible to send private messages too, so perhaps everyone might like to register there and benefit from the information that is there, too, plus have the ability to communicate with each other more privately ... the site has apparently been functional since 2005 or so with long time members still participating, although most often within their established friendships in their journals ... i have registered there also as wildflower and would welcome interaction with you there as well as here and it might be easier there, actually ... it is interesting, though, the registration process and the "secret word" needed to do so but the information is there in the margin and it's possible ... just go to the discussion board to do it ... and if you do, feel free to private message me if that's what you'd rather do ... :) ...and, it's great because it has better formatting features and smilies and allows picture sharing !! -------->> there's also live chat at mibbit.com/chat/#lilacsdmchat@fyrechat ..... lilac is working hard at pulling us together to connect and share even more ... hope to see you there to check it out ... :)
tia
April 27, 2010
These are great tips! Im going to try the bandage idea tonight on my back, haha it will be a sight, me trying to get them on my own back. I might have to buy some that arent at as sticky for my face at night. I really love this site. Thank you!
wildflower
April 27, 2010

In reply to by tia

i have sworn by the use of bandages. i liked the round ones the best. if you live in the usa, riteaid's brand is good. small. stick well. don't hurt coming off. etc but they can become a crutch. eventually you need to stop the picking. but at least the use of bandages will allow quicker healing and will prevent infections. :) be strong. it's not easy, but i believe it is possible!!
tia
April 27, 2010

In reply to by wildflower

ROUND ones!! ahhhh... i never even thought of that haha. Ill get some tomorrow. I went into the bathroom and put the bandages all over my back scabs (just typing it sounds awful :( ) . I have like 10 bandages on me now. As im a mum of course we only have ones with tigger and tweety bird and simpsons on them haha. But its cold here (im in Australia) so i can wear clothes to cover them until tomorrow. I think if i have the bandages on when im at home it will get me out of the habit of reaching for my face to feel and pick. I dont use the mirror anymore. I used to sit there for AGES until my face was all red and swollen and then complain i have bad skin not even putting two and two together. But now its just the scab picking. Im REALLY hopeful about trying the bandage idea. I would have never thought of it oddly. Thank you wildflower xx
wildflower
April 27, 2010

In reply to by tia

:):):) you made me chuckle to think of you with tweeties all over you !! but surely there's round ones available there too. better yet if they're clear and latex free. keep them on overnight and longer if possible if your skin tolerates it. the sores heal with soft scabs that aren't as itchy and demanding to be picked!! lol and custom trim them where needed. same with any other bandage. reduce the amount of adhesive to healthy skin. (queen of bandages speaking lol) you don't even need ointments. i feel the healing is faster without. but use them sparingly on them if needed.
tia
April 27, 2010

In reply to by wildflower

Haha yes I recon i look pretty silly. But I will try ANYTHING that might help. And you certainly are the queen of bandages. All such fantastic information! I love it all! Is it a bit sad im excited to go and buy bandages tomorrow? Haha ok a little but the thought of doing something proactive instead of punishing myself is a really nice feeling. I have been using paw paw ointment (im not sure if you have in the USA). I find a little of that on a scab or red area really helps speed up the healing time. But thats all i use. I put a little on my back ones before i covered them in tweeties ;) haha. I have a girls night out friday night. I know its only 3 days but if i can be strong until then it can only look better. I havent worn a singlet without a cardigan in a long time! And i havent been out since last june (im a single mum, which i guess is good no one will see my tweetie back haha).
wildflower
April 27, 2010

In reply to by tia

believe me ... as queen of bandages i've looked the part. silly that is. even if they're not tweeties the round ones look rather amusing once they number about 20 on your face lol. and 40 at a time on my butt !! but i'm not very scarred so they've helped and that's the main thing.
wildflower
May 12, 2010
week 11 weeks yesterday !! ... less three days that i picked, but not seriously. that is 74 PICK FREE DAYS !! ..... and the above is pretty much how i did it .... ☺☺☺
wildflower
June 07, 2010
i am at 15 weeks using the above guidelines and although i have picked a few times, i have been able to reduce my picking by better than 95 %. it is possible to change behaviour !! it really and truly is !! i have only one sore only now needing a bandage overnight where i used to have 20 to 60 at a time and often. that's a huge difference.... have hope .... have courage .... be strong .... if i can do it, anyone can ... ☺
wildflower
August 14, 2010
change is what is necessary ... make changes in the right direction ... do good things for your skin ... only good things ... care for it .... respect it ... adopting new healthy patterns with a purpose will help address the issue ... and with determination and commitment it is possible ...
jillian_g
March 04, 2011
I'm guilty with the bad habits you've mentioned. But now, I'm trying my best to keep my skin healthy and glowing with the home remedies I have found. If you want it too, click here.

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