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The below is a forum entry made by one of our community members. If you want to know more about your condition, we suggest you read the following article written by a mental health professional on
Compulsive Nose Picking (Rhinotillexomania)

Rachel , 11 Jan 2010

Mucus eating

I have been a very mild picker for as long as I can remember. I think its herediterary for the most part. My mother is a very strong picker and I have grown up watching her pick everything. Anyway, I have never really found my picking to interfere with my normal life. I pick scabs, acne, cuticles, and my nose, but never to the point of scarring or keeping a wound from healing. I do eat everything I pick though. I will also eat the occasional bit of ear wax or discharge from my nipples (normal waxy stuff, nothing abnormal) Im new to the forums, but Im wondering if anyone else is like me. The weirdest thing I do is I wear my underwear for a couple of days, build up a layer of normal vaginal discharge and then I pick that off my underwear and eat it after it dries. It tastes like boogers and is the same texture. I know this must not be sanitary and I have tried to stop, but if its there, Ill eat it. I just wonder if the eating of everything is related to a dietary issue. I do have a great deal of shame associated with this behavior and have never spoken of it to anyone.
94 Answers
georgie
July 28, 2010
Such a relief to know that I am not alone. I too pick a great deal - Almost to the point of "danger" insofar as I love to pick my nose at almost every opportunity and take considerable risks socially. No-one (I hope) knows of my obsession, but I have nearly been caught eating my snot on numerous occasions and at work I will scrape my nail inside my gusset to collect my pussy discharge. (Mine smells bad but tastes like very nice yoghurt, by the way). I always think of the durian fruit eating experience - Has anybody else found that? As far as I know I have never suffered any illness doing this and like a previous writer, I like to leave my underwear on for several days, if practical, to let thedischarge build up. Otherwise I appear as a well adjusted and 'normal' person.
Normalish
February 10, 2011
I do all those things too, as well I pick dry skin off my heels and eat it and chew the skin off my fingertips. I am a 35 year old mother of 3 who has been married for 12 years. I never pick or eat in public or in front of my husband or children. I have seen my husband Chew skin he has picked off his heels as well, so I really think more people do it than would ever admit to it. When my children were babies I would eat mucas from their noses as well. I used to suck my thumb until I was about 4 and I chewed my nails from then until I was in my early twenties. I wonder if it is some kind of oral fixation or an OCD thing? Even though I would be very embarrassed if I was ever caught doing any of these things, It isn't hurting anyone and lots of people do 'strange' things in private. Regardless I am so relieved to find out I am not alone in these compulsions!
OCDjustlikemonk
March 24, 2011
Sadly to say this me too I eat my toenails/fingernails LIVE skin I know I am classified as a cannibal, and I do it with peoPle but secretly I even eat my hole discharge too and it smells like like an ass hole and I am sad of it but don't want to stop I am also sad too that you's too have OCOD and I like the taste I hope you all understand I am not a little child and I know what I shouldn't do And @ Rachel same same
pickcomplusion
March 24, 2011
yeah i no how u feel with the vaginal discharge, i pick it off of my underwear, but i dont eat it. and my nose, that i also do sometimes. but my fingers are so bad right now i can hardly type. they need to find a cure for this. its controlling my life.
jack.wify
June 17, 2011
It may be a headache for you, refusing foods is actually an important part of growing up because it is one of the first ways your child can assert their independence Thanks for sharing the informative post. Regards, Jack - picky eating
Chey.dawn
March 28, 2012
I am so glad I found this whole post! I'm sixteen and everyone at school talks about how gross it is to pick your nose and eat it but if they only knew that I eat EVERYTHING I can get off my body. I pick scabs from anywhere, even my scalp, I pick my nose, I pop pimples, and anything I get, I eat. I've always felt so strange, awkward, and alone. And I also obsess over wanting to pop someone else's pimples! Me and my boyfriend will be in deep conversation and I'll catch my eye on a big juicy blackhead and all I wanna do is pop it! He hates it but he gives in and lets me spend hours at a time popping everything from his forehead to his neck to his chest, his back, and even his genitals! God, I feel so weird trying to even be intimate because the first thing that compluses through my head is "Pop me! Pop me! Pop me!" I'm so glad I'm not alone! Much much much love.
ChaChaGabor
May 22, 2012
I'm so glad I found this. I've been doing the same thing for as long as I can remember. I will literally pick anything but like you I don't stop wounds healing. I will pick and eat my ears, scabs, vagina, spots, scalp, nose, anything. I don't get breast discharge but if I did I'd probably eat that too! I'm In my 30s, a professional and now a mum and I know this behaviour is shocking and shameful but not enough to stop. Weirdly I am breast feeding but have no desire to drink my own breast milk. I do eat mucus from my vagina which is the thing I have the most shame about. I think in the past I may have eaten my own egg but I manage to stop myself doing that these days even though I'm tempted. I hide this behaviour from my husband but he once caught me eating my eye mucus ('Sleep' as we call it in Britain) and was disgusted so I'm more careful now although he knows I pick everything. My mum picks her fingers til they bleed but I manage to leave my fingers alone. I really hope my daughter doesn't start doing this, she's only 7 months and I do do it in front of her but I need to stop. I've been known to pick at her scalp but I've stopped now as I read it can get infected. Otherwise I leave her alone although I do get a weird pleasure from cleaning out her nose and ears. Thanks to everyone for sharing and making me feel I'm not so alone with this.
allmylife
December 19, 2013

In reply to by ChaChaGabor

I'm a picker/eater as well. I remember my grandmother picking her scabs and my mother is a picker as well. I don't ever remember them eating it but I'm sure they did when I was a baby. I probably did it in front of my daughter when she was a baby and she probably does it now as an adult. I don't know to what extent she does it. I am very surprised and a bit relieved to have found this forum.
dermatillomaniac
May 25, 2012
Wow...I just came across a forum that was making fun of this thread. http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3486508&userid=0&perpage=40&pagenumber=1 I urge you not to read it if seeing people say REALLY awful things about dermatillomania will cause you to go into a picking frenzy. I can't believe the people in that thread think it's funny to make fun of people with a serious mental condition. Karma is going to get them in one way or another. I'm at a loss for words right now.
HoneyIShrunkTheKids
May 28, 2012

In reply to by dermatillomaniac

To be fair, they aren't saying awful things about dermatillomania. They're talking about people who intentionally let discharges crust over and fester in their underwear for days at a time and then eat the contents. That is NOT dermatillomania. Although, as you said, it is indeed a serious mental condition.
Picklick
June 19, 2012
Ladies and Gents!!! I'm soooo glad I found you guys!! I have had this habit for a long time I'm 28 now but I can't remember a time I wasn't picking something and eating it!! I slowly found out that everyone else wasn't doing it.. So I had to sneak and do it.. My BF caught me with a scab in my teeth nibbling away.. He said what's that! I said huh nothing! I think he has caught me more than that and just hasn't said anything.. I'm always in my nose!! Oh well I'm not going to stop. It's my boogers scabs mucus vaginal fluid and whatever else I pick and eat!! And like it.. Thanks everyone for sharing!! We need to have a club or group!! But I live in Hawaii who else is here..? Im excited I found y'all!! Love picklick.
allmylife
December 19, 2013

In reply to by Picklick

me too. I'm sure my husband has caught me picking either my scalp or my nose and chewing it. He's never said anything and I try to be very discreet but in 33 years, I'm sure he's caught me. I have always thought it was the sickest habit and I'm so glad to find all you people doing the same thing. I almost feel normal.
Ilovetuffy
June 19, 2012
I think this is very gross but if it is a habit I say you should not eat the stuff in your underwear and on your nipples just wipe it off with a kleenex or a baby wipe.your face just try to annoy it and your nose pick it out with a klenex and throw it away.Hope this helps! ;) Peace,love and cupcakes!
locoH
August 14, 2013

In reply to by Ilovetuffy

It is not that simple. Generally, speaking we pickers are dealing with much deeper issues that manifest themselves in these habits. Or, as some have pointed out, getting back to our evolutionary "basics." Your comments are actually very judgmental and frustrating to read, even though I know you don't intend them to be. If it were as easy as you seem to think it is based on your "advice" this forum wouldn't exist.
hellopeople
September 04, 2012
hi, this is crazy. i can't believe how many people r on here. i do the same thing. fucking EVERYTHING. its been such a problem since i was a kid. the only people that really know about it are my close family. iv honestly been in self denial for such a long time. the worst i pick and eat is my dandruff. i just cant stop scratching my head and eat what i find under my fingernails. theres something so comforting about it. however i can keep the picking of everything else under control, and wait until I'm alone so no one can see me. its only recently that I've been able to admit it to myself. I'm even too embarrassed to admit this to my therapist. i know i have a mental disorder. and I'm on medication. but it doesn't change the picking. the only reason I've really realized I'm not alone is that i just caught my boyfriend of 2 years picking off some dead skin from his foot and eating it. i was like WTF. and he froze, wide eyed. but i couldn't help laughing because i did the same thing. we both pick and eat scabs, any dead skin and boogers. but he does tend to chew on his fingers a lot too. however I'm better at hiding it than he is. so i wanted to look this up cuz i was wondering wtf is wrong with us?? im 19 right now. i have really pretty hair. I'm really worried that i will go bald with how much i pick at my scalp. I've been able to stop before, but never longer than a month. because when i run my fingers through my hair i can't help but just notice something. & once i start i can't stop.
BlillyOB
September 08, 2012
Hello everyone? This is my first time on here. I eat boogers, I use to eat snot. I like to eat the clot that comes when your nose bleeds. I to eat scabs fingernails and toenails the skin around them. That's disgusting. Eating vaginal discharge is super disgusting, at least from like a health perspective. I don't mean to judge, I'm just saying.
Emmi
September 09, 2012

In reply to by BlillyOB

BillyOB, Please be aware of the way in which you say things, Its not a nice feeling to be told what you do is 'disgusting', Fair enough you have the right to say what ever you like, but Please consider other peoples feelings, You may not understand why people do the things they do, these people have obviously come here to ask for help, advise, or even just to get something off there chest that they feel they can no longer keep to them self, these sorts of things are fragile and you need to be more considerate of peoples feelings. I personally dont understand why you do the things you do, But I'm not judging you, I never would. I most certinally would never make you feel horrible about it. If you would like someone to talk to or you are asking for advise, or even have some helpful ways of overcoming these things that people wish to stop then by all means do so, but if you just registered here to tell people there 'disgusting' please dont, because this is a place where people can open up and get help when they feel at a loss of what to do. I am by no means having a go, just looking out for peoples feelings. :)
olivegreen
September 13, 2012

In reply to by Emmi

Yes, BillyOB should really evaluate his own post--from another person's perspective what he does is "disgusting" I'm sure. Keep the judgment away from skinpick!! :)
aerial
September 11, 2012
Thank you all for posting, I'm sitting here crying because I always thought I was alone. Recently at the dermatologist I the doctor quickly said, "Well you obviously have OCD" and just left it at that. I have always felt embarrassed and alone, Recently the picking has gotten so bad that I have scars down my leg. I pick my nose and eat it, I eat my scabs, my nails are chewed down to nothing and I make my toenails bleed I bite them and peel them so low. I got here by accident after clicking a recipe on pintrest and I think now that I have information I'll have more confidence in stopping. I'm a teacher so my students always see my hands which makes me so nervous on interviews, and I've been taking acne medication again to help stop breakouts because I pick my face less when it's not broken out, but that makes me go for scabs instead. I'm just so happy that I'm not alone.
LunaLady
September 15, 2012
Hello! Ok #1..... To the rude and inconsiderate ones, IF WE DISGUST YOU, STOP READING AND MOVE ALONG! No need to judge and be hateful! We have to live with that enough in the real world already. #2..... So glad I'm not alone! I also have trichotillomania as well as dermotillomania. I'm 234 days pull free though so yay! I too eat my pimples and boogers. My mom has caught me occasionally and it's embarrassing but I don't even realize I'm doing it sometimes. :-/ Take care everyone and try your best to ignore the haters. YOU ARE LOVED!

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