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snugglereader , 04 Dec 2012

scalp picker

hi, i'm 15 and i pick my scalp subconsciously; its been going on for a while now, id say since i was ten maybe? i tend to pick my scalp until it bleeds and then pick the scabs etc. its a vicious cycle. i usually find my self doing it after a long space of time yet struggle to stop, its like an addiction. sometimes i put the skin that i have picked into my mouth but never eat it and i don't know why; i bite down on my jaw while i'm doing it aswell and my teeth and jaw are beginning to hurt because of it, i have noticed i feel quite anxious once i find myself picking. recently i have been picking off the hard skin on the bottom of my big toe and the dry skin off of my lips. im starting to worry whether this is a mental condition or if this picking can lead to something bigger/worse. i told my friend and he didn't believe that it was subconscious but i don't mean to do it, i just find myself doing it and carry on, im sorry im rambling. if anybody knows what the cause of this is, if i should stop or if this is a symptom of something bigger, please let me know. i would love to hear your stories if anybody is up for that? thank you
2 Answers
knkn
December 10, 2012
hi I have the same problem, the only differences are: 1)- that I never talked with anybody about my scalp & scab picking. It's very secret I always payed much attention so that nobody could find out. 2)- that I eat my scars and not only chew them. 3)- the problem started when I was 12 -- now I am 31!. I really wish to stop. I really was convinced that it was not a psycological problem, only a dermatological problem. I thought it was all about a mycosis (fungal infection of the scalp) but now I'm sure it's not. It's a compulsive disorder. I quite don't know what to say, but I guess that being aware is very important. I spent years denying this yo myself, finding excuses, minimizing the problem. Now I'm not finding excuses and I'm ready to fight this. I can add some details, just to better help people recognize the symptoms and make comparisons: - my scab/scalp picking is always in very specific areas of the scalp. It's not random. I only find relief by always picking the same areas of my scalp (it's about 10 little different parts of the scalp, always the same ones). - after picking the scabs I spend some second watching them, touching them carefully with my fingers, before eating them. - the moment in wich I do my scalp picking are in the early morning, after waking up or just before waking up, in the evening, just before falling asleep. In my office I do this after having phone calls, generally in a relaxing moment immediately after a stressful working moment. At school ( I also study at university): when I study. I can't concentrate if I don't scratch, pick and eat all the scabs of my scalp.
snugglereader
December 13, 2012

In reply to by knkn

thank you for commenting its nice to see somebody that understands, it feels like that sometimes, like nobody understands. I guess ill just have to accept that it is a disorder and move on, i'm not sure there is any cure haha. its just so frustrating you know? when you cant stop and you really really want to. and i am the same, i find comfort in picking in the same places, and i usually do it before i sleep too, or when i'm concentrating on something! its so odd to talk to someone with the same problem haha

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