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

01 Apr, 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 :]

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sharmaine73 April 01, 2011

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!

happytown3000 April 03, 2011

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

gem16 November 17, 2014

Omg I thought I was the only one.. I was just on google trying to find out ways to stop picking my bottom lip. Its driving me crazy I been doing this for years don't remember what age I started but I will pick until my lip bleeds and continue to pick until my nails are full of blood and my lips feel smooth and even. My boyfriend hates that I pick my lips he says I'm making them look ugly and that it feels like he's kissing sand paper :( . I want to stop but I just can't help it. Everytime I pick my boyfriend gets really made and would smack my hand away from my mouth. I would stop for the moment but inside I'm freaking out because I just need to finish with that loose piece of skin and rip it off but before i know it my hand is right back on my lip minutes after. I try telling my boyfriend its not hard to just stop that's like telling a crackhead to stop smoking.. my lip picking is an addiction I love how it feels to pull the skin off and I love how smooth my lips feel after. Lip chap or whatever just makes tgings worse and creates more loose skin for me to peel... I need help. Not to mention I'm on meds for anxiety, and depresson.. not sure if the lip picking is related but I do notice I pick my lips more when nervous or stressed.

gem16 November 17, 2014

Not to mention I also love scratching my back pimples to hear it pop and if I ever get a pimple on my face I pop the hell out of it amd sometimes I don't stop until I have a red spot on my face from bleeding under the skin.. making things worse than it was

MarieValle May 09, 2017

Omg, yes!!!! I'm the same. I looove Peking and picking until my fingers are all bloody! My boyfriend hates it and snacks my hand away too. I also told him that asking me to stop is like asking a crackhead to stop smoking Wow. I thought I was just a weirdo.

Abc123 August 02, 2016

I do the same ... I bite my lower lip and peel the layer off. I also bite the center of my lower lip to split it in the centre . I like the hurt and pain that comes from it

Blompot91 September 28, 2011

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

MarieValle May 09, 2017

Me too!! I thought I was the only one.

hereiam June 19, 2012

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.

-Caroline- September 26, 2012

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.

sarah276 January 08, 2013

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!

Jackblack638 February 04, 2013

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

Anonymoussss March 19, 2013

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!!!

Anonymoussss March 19, 2013

coolbreeze72 June 20, 2013

I have been peeling the skin off both my lips for over 30 years now... I dont do it as bad as I used to, but I will do it until my lips bleed...I also peel the skin off the bottoms of both feet and have been doing that off and on for over 25 yrs...I also bit my nails for about 10 yrs or so, and I used to peel the palms of my hands too but not fot many years...I feel like I do it from a childhood trauma but I dont have a memory of one...when i have alot of anxiety i do it...

Meme123 August 05, 2013

I just found this website... I've had dry lips for most of my life, and usually my mom just tells me to put on vaseline, but then when I was around five, I realized I could just peel off the dry skin. My mom used to think I was just sucking my thumb since I was cover my mouth, but then she realized I was peeling off the skin when she asked why I was still sucking. I've figured out why I do it, though. It's because I always consider myself second best at everything, and just downgrade myself (yeah, a bit of depression...) Whenever I pick my thumbs, it's because I think someone has said something rude about me, or ridiculed me - like when I went to see my cousins, and I thought they were laughing at me, I kept picking at my thumbs, they started bleeding a lot... Whenever I pick my calluses, it's because of perfection (I twitch whenever someone's out of tune on the violin, so that just shows how serious I am about it). Whenever I play badly, I purposely press harder on my fingers, so they end up bloated and disgusting. I think I need to be perfect to perform, so I try ripping them off...doesn't end well...usually with an bloody finger and like six bandages... Whenever I pick my lips, it's because (since lips are really the only attractive part of my face, ugh, I'm being mean to myself again...) I want to look pretty, and I hate whenever lips look dirty, like my mom. I feel the need to pick at my lips so they can be perfect like my sister's (my sister is perfect, it's actually quite annoying!!!), but I also feel the need to yell at someone (even a stranger) if their lips are dirty. Oh yeah, here's what I do to keep my lips nice and soft - put vaseline on, and then scrub my lips with a toothbrush but no toothpaste. No matter how gross it is, it works! Hope that helped someone out there, probably not...but...it felt good writing it!

rubberducke August 05, 2013

I do it when I'm bored, mainly to avoid picking my fingers or face. It"s not a big problem for me yet. When I put chapstick on, I don't pick my lips because first, I don't want to get it all over my fingers, and it makes them to soft to easily pick, and it tastes gross. But when it dries, it's like a second skin to pick off. So sometimes I put on chapstick just to pick it off when it dries..... but if you try not to let it dry, it might help.

MissyAnn August 06, 2013

I know how you feel. Though I have been picking myself all over since I was 10 years old and now I am 20. I have also been picking at my lips since I was little. I would suck in my bottom lip or top lip and take my teeth and bite off my skin on my lips. I am new to this site and am looking for some answers as well.

Kiragirl127 July 16, 2014

I've had this problem sence I was 3 it sucks and is verry embarrassing but one day my friend wanted me to get acrylic nails and after I got them I noticed it made it harder for me to get any skin or pick off skin so much lip doesn't look red anymore I can still pick it if my nails start to thin but it realy helps! And I've had my on for a year now I'm so thankful for the help I get from them ! This terrible habit sucks ass! And it's a plus to have beautiful nails all the time and ur bf has to let you get them ! Lol :)) anyway just thought I would let you guys know about it lots of love too you all beautiful people good luck and god bless you

susiesuesue May 26, 2015

I have been wanting to get this off my chest for years. I remember googling lip picking about 5 years ago and there was virtually nothing on the web. It's nice to know I'm not alone but I still don't feel like anyone is fully describing what I experience... My lip picking is not incessant, every day, OCD or habitual. Perhaps there is a pattern to it, but I am yet to work it out. I sometimes pick when I am stress, relaxed, bored, turned on? I really don't know what sets it off! When I get into, what I can only describe as a 'zone', I don't just pick. It is almost a sensual experience? I shall rub my nails, hair, fingers over my bottom lip (it is always my bottom lip). Perhaps I shall suck my lip very, very hard making them swollen and feel them throbbing. I may then dig my nail very hard into my swollen lip making them bleed. I know technically what I am doing is something that for anyone else would be inflicting pain, but for me it just feels SO good. Someone asked me if it felt like sexual pleasure before and I can honestly say it does not. It's a total unique feeling and pleasure that when I get the feeling it needs to be fulfilled. I used to be a lot worse, picking every day making myself bleed, constantly with swollen lips and boyfriend and family begging me to stop. It's not that bad anymore, but I am quite sure I have changed my lips for life. I dig right into the tissue of my lip, its not just surface picking. I remember the first pleasure of pulling skin off of my lips as a child, but it really wasn't a problem then, I don't think? Anyway...its very hard to explain, maybe its some form of masochism rather than Dermatillomania? I think more likely it is both?

dw24 June 07, 2015

OMG you don't know how relived I am to know I'm not the only one. I've doing this since I'm very young and I wanted to stop but nothing worked. Hope sone of the tips here will.

Glutenfree June 21, 2015

I have picked & bit my lips till they bled since I was a child! It's been the Bain of my life my whole life! I heard of so any reasons that may cause it & advice to stop.. Nothing worked! Till I discovered I am gluten/wheat sensitive/allergic.. I have nw been wheat free for 2 years & the lip biting slowed down dramatically in the first year & in the last year have stopped completely! I don't even think about it anymore & it seems weird that I used to do this!! I am strongly against the the most commonly thought cause.. stress/anxiety as I have just been through the worst year of my life & still not done it! Try it folks! What have you got to ls? Gluten is bad for everyone & wheat is so modified that's it's nutritional benefits are dubious to say the least & can be replaced.. Don't ay money making experimental therapists until you've tried this x

hemorastificus July 03, 2015

I'm with you! I only do it once my lips start to crack (dry weather, etc.)--and then it'll be weeks of bloody lips for me. I'm worse with my arms, though. They're currently awful. My sister used to call me 'constellation' as a kid because my arms and face would be covered in sores.

Cucumbercool July 12, 2015

Happy town, I pick and peel at my lips too. You are not alone in what you do at all. I also hate that it makes you look unattractive sometimes since your lips look discoloured or just chapped.People do not notice it but some think my lips are chapped.I do try vaseline and hate my habit.Since you stop for a couple of weeks, that means you have more will power than me.I am inspired.Any tips you can give me to stop?

LittleRed July 13, 2015

This is the greatest thing, I never realized this was actually a thing and that I wasn't alone. I've been picking my lips for as long as I can remember. I remember my dad's boss telling me as a 5 year old that if I didn't stop picking my lips would swell up and burst. Unfortunately that didn't quite get me to stop! Being in my twenties now I've realized that it's at its worst when I'm stressed or anxious, and unfortunately what with suffering from depression and a generalized anxiety disorder, that seems to be pretty frequent. I've found that you could tell me to sit on my hands or tie them up and I'd still wind up picking or biting. Carmex has become my lifesaver, it really helps soothe and ease the pain. But what sucks is that once there's nothing more to pick off my lips, or they're bloody and sore, I just move on to different body parts. My neck, chest, face, scalp. Does anyone else find that they gravitate towards easily pickable areas? You know, such as pimples, or bumps that are already on your skin? I rarely pick at smooth areas of skin. I scratch and rub when looking for them, but don't usually go as hard there as I do when I already have something to pick at.

Cucumbercool July 16, 2015

Dear Little Red, Do not lost heart.You are alone in what you do at all,that's why we are all here for you.You sound really panicked so do calm down since you are not the only one who picks at various body parts.I also gravitate towards picking at certain parts of my fingers:) Certain parts attract my attention-then I pick...again and again at the same place.I know how addictive that is.

MGH44 July 20, 2015

I'm 29 years old and I've been "picking" since around age 10. The places on my body have changed but there is something unique about picking my lips (which I've only started in the past few years). Someone said they get in the zone and feel a sense of relief and for me it's almost a pleasurable experience as weird as that sounds. I love and hate it at the same time. Well I don't have a cure but the closest I've come is having acrylic or gel nails. They just make it more difficult to pick overall. Hmm what else? Someone mentioned "brushing" their lips with a toothbrush. I've found that this helps remove those pieces of skin that would ultimately lead to a picking binge. I really like the ambesol idea that someone mentioned to numb their lips. I'm going to try that. I wish I had an answer but I just don't know what it is. I do feel that there is a perfectionist quality to it. I want things to be a certain way and I want my lips and skin to feel a certain way. Well good luck to everyone!

savethebees October 21, 2015

This describes me almost exactly. I have a lot of the same behaviors but I never knew until reading this that picking at the skin on the lips this way is a compulsive behavior that could be treated. Thank you for the ensight!

Girlygirl13 July 05, 2016

I'm 13 and have been peeling the skin of my bottom lip for about 3 years now. No, I don't stress or have anxiety it's just so addicting and I can't find a way to stop the weather is very hot so it preety much explains the dry and choppy lips. I am using Chapstick but that doesn't seem to be working but it's a way I keep my lips moistured hopefully someone can help me with my problem.

Kiragirl127 July 27, 2016

I used acrylic nails they saved my life! They make it much harder to pick my lip and I usually keep them short

Karla February 08, 2017

Ugh I am the same! I've been picking my bottom lip for almost 20 years. I stop once it starts bleeding. I also stop when I have fake nails as they are too thick to pick. Its such an addictive feeling I get from it. Nothing else gives me this weird feeling. I buy the little cold sore patches now to help speed up the healing. Its like a second skin. It's good when I've peeled to much off and its very sensitive. But I'll admit I also use them to speed up healing so I can pick the next day.

miriam May 10, 2017

For me it's like an addiction. I know logically I'm causing my body damage but I still can't control it. I am thinking of trying a 12 step programme for self harm like recoveries anonymous or self mutilators anonymous...

Fayemichs@yahoo.com May 29, 2017

I started peeling my lower lip at the age of 6 and I'm now 44. My lips are so beautiful, deliberately oiling the lower one for me to me. This is weird!

galpotbon January 07, 2018

Glad im not the only one, I pick my bottom lip like crazy, everytime i see a piece of flaky skin, i peel. My sisters have beautiful, smooth lips, and my sister and my mom told me to just stop picking them, but i just cant resist. Everytime my lips feel dry, i lickk them that makes it even worse, right now my lips are dry as ever, i am trying SO hard not to lick them. I am using a lip scrub, that contains honey,sugar, and lemon, and i am brushing my lips with warm water and a toothbrush.

Sarah27 January 18, 2018

This is strange. I've been picking my lips since I was a child. Im 32. I didn't realize it was a disorder till I saw my friend pick her scab and let it get worse just so she could pick more. I realized that looked familiar only w my lips. She said her counselor said it was a skin picking disorder and I knew right away that I fall in that category. I see comments about people wanting help for it. That is the only difference I hear between me and others on here. I've never wanted to stop. Its so funny though that everything I would say about it has been said on here. Like I have to get every last piece off. Or it bleeds. Or it hurts but I keep doing it. At first it feels good. Like before it starts scanning. I put chapstick on just so the next time I pick it feels a little more tolerable. I am not surprised to see I'm not the only one but I am extremely surprised to hear that we all go through the same thing from how it feels to how we do it. Like I said. The only difference is I have never tried stopping. Mayne when I was a kid but the thought does not last long. Wow. This is crazy

Wtf Am I Doing Here April 26, 2018

So, my mom has a really bad lip-picking problem. She doesn't live with me anymore, but when she did live with me when I was 5, my dad used to get mad at her for doing it. Obviously, both my mom and dad did not want me to catch this habit, so they would always say things like "Don't do that, It's bad for you!" Knowing they would get mad at me for doing it, that's what made me start it. Doing it made them angry, and for some reason, I enjoyed that. Lip-picking wasn't an addiction back then, or something I wanted to do, it was only for my parents to get angry. I ended up stopping it, but as a few years went by, I started picking my lips again. I loved how smooth my lips felt afterwards. It was so satisfying to peel the skin off. Eventually, it got so bad that even my teachers got annoyed at me for doing it. That was in grade 1. Around grade 2 I sort of stopped, until I found a new addiction in grade 3. I just love, and I mean LOVE biting the sides of my fingers around the nail. Its so satisfying peeling it off, sort of the same way its satisfying to peel the skin off of my lips. Although Iv'e stopped lip-picking, I still bite my fingers every single day. Sometimes, I would get so stressed, or nervous one day that I would bite all of my fingers until they were bloody. Most of the time it doesn't hurt, but if I bite too far, it starts hurting a lot. But, even if it hurts, that doesn't stop me from biting that finger. All I care about is getting every single bit of skin until I cant bite anything off anymore, and even when I can't bite anything off anymore, I still bite it looking for more skin to bite. It mostly happens in class, since that's the place I'm mostly stressed. My friends used to make fun of me about it a lot, but since Iv'e been doing it for so long, I guess they just don't care anymore. Iv'e never talked about my finger biting to anyone (even though people still notice), or ever wrote about it before, so I guess writing this is somewhat a relief. Iv'e tried countless times to stop, but every time I say its the "last time" I start doing it without myself even knowing. When I notice I'm actually doing it, it's too satisfying to stop. I just don't know what to do. I'm entering high school in two years, and I don't want people to think my fingers are disgusting. I also don't want to bite my fingers like some weird kid in front of everyone. Anyone have tips on how to stop?

JayneTaylor June 03, 2018

Wow! I’ve just found this site and am realising that I have an actual condition. One of my issues is that I also pick and peel at the skin on my lips which has left me with scarring. I’ve noticed however that i’m doing it less and less over the last few months. I think some of the tips I have read are great, but you need to actually stop your lips from being dry before you can stop picking at them. Firstly, drink LOADS of water. I can’t tell you how much better my lips look and feel. It will take a while to have a noticeable effect but i promise you it works. Once you see how good your lips look and that the dryness is gone, the urge to pick goes away. I also use a couple of great products at times when i want to pick, as a replacement for picking, its more like a beauty therapy I guess. I use MAC lip scrub which is delicious and really works and then I use Aesop lip cream after that which smells divine. My lips are maybe 90% better and I rarely pick at them now. Its all about drinking water!!! Now all I have to do is fix my other picking habits .....

Icemace June 12, 2018

I'm so happy I found this site! It makes me feel considerably less of a freak! I pick my lips and gums and I bite my cheeks a lot. I have been for three years now and it's gotten worse over time. I'm currently nursing three scabs on my lips, two sores on my gums and one gash/sore on my inner cheek. I use a lot of chapstick but I haven't been able to stop. It always hurts but that pain combined with that I already cut/self harm is making it hard to stop. I just wish I could have normal lips again. But I hope to get help soon, and I'm making steps to stop so maybe someday I'll make a full recovery!

Samantha December 01, 2018

I am 15 and since I was like 10 I have been ripping the skin off my lips...I find it satisfying and my mom asks me how...not even I know how to answer that. I can stop peeling but in one week I will go all crazy on my lips and they will bleed and hurt that's when I repent of having done that. Then I can't enjoy eating anything bcuz I will easily burn my lips. I try to stop but I can't I incautiously keep at it without knowing I'm doing it until I feel blood and I stop.... I try to stop BUT I CANT! My friends look at me like I'm crazy for ripping the skin off but they don't understand...I am not stressed or anxious I just like it...I DON'T KNOW WHY! Does anybody know why or how or IF THIS IS NORMAL!!! Am I the online that does this???!!!

Samantha December 01, 2018

I usually pick them oppositely when they are hydrated or moist...I can't pick them dry cuz it will hurt as I do it..if I do it when they are not chapped it doesn't hurt at all until later..my mom tells me to stop but when she turns I stop but when she's looking I bite the skin off with my teeth by tucking my upper or bottom lip and biting the skin off ..is this a serious condition or something?