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cuticlenut , 15 Oct 2011

Cuticle Cutting

Hi. I along with many others am shocked to find out I am not alone in my obsession. I am 37 and started cutting my cuticles approximately 2 years ago. It all started when I lost my house to the bank. I was forced to move in with my parents. As I could no longer afford to get my nails done, I decided to buy my own nail supplies. This is when I saw my first cuticle cutter! At first I only used it when I did my nails, now I no longer do my nails, I only cut. Just recently (a few months ago) is when I started including my nails in this. I not only cut my cuticles, but the skin around it - I mean ALL the skin I can possible cut...until there is none, and I MUST wait until it grows back to cut more (usually a day or so). My fingers bleed and are always raw. I always knew I was obsessive-compulsive, but this, this .... is unbelievable! I can feel the obsession 'over-flowing' within me. I no longer look up at the tv, I miss everything going on and I WILL NOT stop until that something inside of me is satisfied. It starts with me noticing there is dirt under my nails (no matter how slight). I will use the cuticle cutters to remove it, then it progresses from there. I bleed, yet continue on, just on a different finger. I am going to my first therapy appointment and I will report back as to what she has to say. I should mention I also suffer from depression and am on zoloft; although it doesn't seem to do much (3 years of zoloft). All I can say, at this point, for sure is that there is (for me) a feeling of not being satisfied until I've picked away every finger I have, and that I pick up the cuticle cutters at least 10 times a day.
4 Answers
cuticlenut
October 15, 2011
Oh, and also (in the last year or so) this has progressed to my toes. Same thing. First under the nail then on the cuticle and ALL the skin I can cut until I'm either satisfied or bleeding. Now, the sides of my nails (toes and fingers) I am starting to clip off. If I see a piece of skin (usually one that is hanging because of the LAST time I cut) I must 'get' that one too. It is a big circle that I have created. I see that now. Because of my cutting, there will always be 'left over' pieces of skin (tiny) so I cut, then I leave more, so I cut ... again, and so on and so forth.
hatethis
October 15, 2011

In reply to by cuticlenut

I know exactly how you feel. Luckily I am not doing it to my toes and I am also not doing it to all my fingers. My fingers are so painful at this moment. I am scared of getting an infection.
hatethis
October 15, 2011
I do not remember the exact time I started picking my cuticles. I do not do it to all my fingers. I do not know what is wrong with me. I love the feeling I get from cutting and picking my cuticles until it is bleeding and extremely painful. I stopped for a couple of months, when I got the courage to get my nails done. I got gel on my nails. I do not know why I started again. Now my nails and cuticles look to horrible to go and get my nails done again. I wish I could stop this horrible habit.
moonchild90
October 12, 2020

I am the same way! I have also gravitated to cutting my toes cuticle and skin. I am 30 years old and I started cutting my cuticles at 16. I do get embarrassed when I get into a situation where my fingers and toes are wet like when you are in the pool. They look horrid so that makes me want to cut off all of the raised wet skin and cuticle. I get so obsessed that if I don’t cut them they are going to be dry peeling and ugly. Has anyone stopped completely? If so what was the process like ?

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