After the Philippines Channel GMA News 7 news segment I took part in aired 2 and a half hours ago, I decided it was time to launch my new official website! This is extremely exciting for me, to be able to provide the best online support links and bring together the work I've done in advocating for awareness about Dermatillomania.
If there was ever a time I asked for people to "share", "like", "tweet" or any other fancy social network term for resposting a link, this is it! Even on the homepage of my new site there's a "like" button! Please spread this link around, even to online support forums you use that are related to mental health.
Thank you so much! I hope to hear feedback on my pages about your thoughts on the website. I have also linked back to this Livejournal community for others to join us in this journey! This was the first support group that ever helped me realize that I was not alone in my struggles. I had posted about my picking in self-harm groups and that ONE person referred me to this community. Now I'm paying it forward. xox
This is from a photo shoot today that I finally got to do with my boyfriend, to show everyone that it doesn't matter how bad your scars are... you can still be happy and be accepted. Please "Like" and "Share" the original image. Let's make some noise! No one deserves to feel the way I did and I want everyone to know that we are capable and worthy of love!
I think I posted back here awhile ago when I was like 16...
Sad to say, I'm 25 now and am still picking. Don't really know how to stop, and it seems to have gotten worse since my recent divorce.
Have any of you told yourselves "I'm just gonna pick this one area...for like a minute", and then you ended up picking for like 5 hours straight? I've seriously kept myself up nights obsessively doing it, just trying to get all the skin off. It never worked though, because the skin would grow back faster than I would pick.
So far I've given myself two bad staph infections on my face because of it. I told myself I'd stop after that, but it didn't happen.
Ugh, so frustrating. Though, I have had periods in my life where I stopped for like a year. It was amazing, because I actually looked really good. I wish I could just pick on places nobody saw. It sucks. I hate feeling ashamed and I hate people knowing about this. My whole family gives me hell about it.
I don't usually post much here because my CSP tends to be limited to a few intense areas (unfortunately they're all on my face), but my latest discovery is definitely worth sharing. I've had a few really annoying moles for as long as I can remember, and I think they contributed to the general skin loathing that I've always had too. I found a way to get rid of them, however!
If you have those moles that protrude a bit from your skin (raised or kind of an overgrown skin tag, doesn't matter which), you may be able to get rid of them with apple cider vinegar. Here are the instructions:
1. Rough up as much surface area of the target mole as you can stand. It's good to use an emery board for this. Don't make it bleed, but make it feel a bit raw.
2. Put vaseline or antibiotic cream (like Neosporin) around the mole on the normal skin.
3. Take a small piece of cotton ball just slightly larger than the mole, and dip it in apple cider vinegar.
4. Put the cotton ball piece on the mole and tape it firmly in place with a band-aid.
It's best to do this right before bed so you can leave it in place overnight. Some people like to apply the ACV more frequently, but all my moles needed was overnight for 3-5 nights. The mole will develop a scab at first, and then go blackish or whitish and harden. Eventually, it will wither to a small scab that you can just pull off. When it's at the very hard stage, don't try and rough it up or use any more ACV. At this stage I just applied Neosporin at night, and I kept applying it for a while after the mole came off. It's insane, but my 2 most-hated moles have vanished quite literally without a trace! Another formerly prominent one is barely a tiny bump, and you can't see it at all. The other two are just slightly reddish areas where the moles used to be. I was shocked by how well this worked, since most of those "cures" you read about online are just shams.
Anyway, I feel so much better now! The mole on my neck that was so obvious is gone, and the one in my armpit is too. :) I can go necklace-free if I choose, and now when I'm lifting weights in the gym or high-fiving someone, I'm not self-conscious. :) I hope this helps some of you who have skin issues similar to my own!
Hi, I'm new to the community so I guess I'll just explain my situation. I started picking a couple of years ago, when I started high school. I don't really have an acne problem but my skin isn't flawless or anything. I usually pick at imperfections that don't exist or aren't visible. I make them ten times bigger in my mind and I can't help but pick at them. I think it is triggered by stress, and also just idleness. I have tried a million things to stop, including therapy, gloves, getting rid of mirrors in the house, distractions, finger toys, etc. I am still resisting medication for health reasons but my problem is getting worse and it seems like I'm the only one despite there being an obvious group right here. It's especially hard because I am so much happier when I'm not in the picking cycle, but I fall back into it with every coming exam or trigger so easily and I have no way of stopping. Anyway if anyone has other suggestions than what I listed, I will give it an honest effort. Thanks!
Do any of you notice anything weird about the hand they typically pick with versus their dominant hand?
It recently came to my attention that I only pick with my left hand, and mostly on areas on the right side of my body, however I am right handed. Wouldn't it be more logical that if I were to have a mostly unconscious habit such as CSP that my body would use my dominant hand for it's dexterity and ease of use? This could be an interesting clue to the disorder if I'm not the only one.
I've struggled with CSP as long as I can remember, most notably when I was a young child with the chicken pox. I am now 20 and the condition has gotten gradually worse, I have severe scarring on my back, neck, shoulders, arms, face, and chest. Despite being pretty attractive and fascinating otherwise, this condition is ruining my social life and romantic relationships. I constantly feel shame over the appearance of my skin; I hate picking, but I can't make myself stop.
I only recently realized this was an actual condition with a name and am now seeking support as I have a number of inflamed or infected areas that I can't leave alone. Have any of you found anything that helps???
New to the community, my name is Julia, I'm 19 years old and I've been struggling with CSP for as long as I can remember. Despite seeing a psychologist and a psychiatrist, I'm having a hard time in recovering because my mother doesn't feel it is a legitimate problem. Its almost like she thinks I scratch and peel the skin on my face on purpose.
I know her acknowledgement wont make it go away, but has anyone else had a family member react like this?
Hi again! These pics are taken few min ago.. I would like to start non picking challenge, so if anyone want to join me, feel free. My max challenge was 4 days :((( I'm posting these pics here so that I don't forget about my decision and I want to make it public (I hope that that will give me some kind of obligation). Anyway, haven't been picking for 2 days, but only because I've destroyed my face..and when I see my face destroyed I can control myself....how interesting :( in a few days my face will be better and God help me!
So if you want to join me, like I said feel free. You can also post some pics, so after few days, weeks, hope months we can see our progress (I hope) :D
excited
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