:( Advice for face picking.
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free skin care · Wed Apr 01, 2009 1:29 pm

I absolutely hate that I pick my face but it's a response to stress. Does anyone here have any advice? I spend money on products to help me, and often the better my skin looks the less I pick. It's really bothering me today. Any advice, products for marks, or tips would be appreciated.
Thank you in advance.

Wed Apr 01, 2009 2:37 pm

First of all, you should throw away any magnifying mirror you might have...
I'm interested in hearing advices too, as I have this bad bad habit myself.

free skin care · Wed Apr 01, 2009 4:08 pm

The key is not to focus on the picking, but on the stress you mentioned that is causing you to pick at your skin.

So either eliminate the stress, find a way to reduce it, or find a way to deal with it better. Stress has FAR more long-reaching ramifications on your health than most people realize...the sooner you deal with it, the healthier you will be.

This advice is coming from someone who learned that the hard way...my body started to literally shut down from long-term stress.

Wed Apr 01, 2009 7:47 pm

bethany you are absolutely right . . .

Also, try using Obagi products, they will keep your skin clear.

free skin care · Wed Apr 01, 2009 9:50 pm

You should describe the condition of your skin，A lot of brands are very good

free skin care · Thu Apr 02, 2009 2:12 pm

Thanks ladies, I appreciate your advice. I totally agree I need to find a way to minimize and manage my stress. I notice the worst time for me is at night, as long as I can make it to bed without picking I'm fine. I take out my contacts so I go up close to see my skin. I process all my critical thoughts when I pick. I recognize that it's both mentally and physically damaging.

My boyfriend is leaving the country indefinitely and I have term papers and exams. I think counselling will be beneficial and I will try to eat right, exercise more etc...

My skin is acting so strangely lately. Yesterday when I looked in the mirror I noticed I had little colourless bumps all over. I think they have subsided now I have little red dots on my face and dry skin. I had to use cleansers my skin didn't agree with when I ran out of my standard. I also started my bcp again after a lapse of around 12 days (instead of the typical 7). Also it snowed yesterday and I tend to get little red dots whenever it snows. I was also using Christian Dior Tinted Moisturizer, which I am taking a break from just to be safe.

I would love for my skin to be more resilient and the redness to go down. I'd also really like the little marks from picking to be less evident. Anyone got any advice? I really appreciate being able to talk about this stuff and figure it out.

Off to write a term paper!

free skin care · Thu Apr 02, 2009 7:30 pm

it sounds like you may have Excoriated Acne. As you suggest improving your lifestyle and dealing with stress will help a lot. I can recommend Yoga for relaxation and maybe try wearing gloves around the house to prevent you from picking at your skin absent mindedly.

http://acne.about.com/od/acnebasics/p/excoriatedacne.htm

free skin care · Thu Apr 02, 2009 8:14 pm

Hi callalily! Unfortunately, this is a problem I can really relate to. I think stress has a lot to do with it. If possible, I'd recommend getting a prescrip for something called Alcortin-A from your dermatologist. It's basically a prescription-strength hydrocortisone cream that's also anti-bacterial and that contains skin-healing peptides. Aside from that, I've had great success helping my skin heal with two products that have active honey as one of their main ingredients: Arcona's Hydrating Serum and Korres' Thyme Honey Cream. Get yourself a really good peel (I like Juice Beauty's Green Apple Peel and MD Skincare's Daily Peel), and follow it up with one of these products that's loaded with active honey and you should see some improvement in the red marks. Keep fighting the good fight!

free skin care · Sat Apr 04, 2009 8:23 am

Thanks Pandora. My best friend said she would buy me gloves. I don't really do it absentmindedly, thanks god, only around a mirror (typically when my contacts are out). I think I should get into a yoga practice. Even if it is just on my own with a book, while funds are low.
Manslayerliz you are one awesome woman. I appreciate the advice and encouragement. Oddly enough it's really helped just to share my problem.
I'm itching to get myself some AB Peels. I've bought them twice before and I really liked them. I'm going to look into the other products you mentioned.
I've kept off my face for the most part for the last three days!! Dancing

Thanks for the support lovely ladies!!!

free skin care · Sat Apr 04, 2009 10:41 pm

I'm also a big offender of this. The best thing I have been able to do is when I'm at home, and I've washed my face and see something pick-worthy, I put on an pimple cream - currently Kate Somerville Eradikate. I find if there is something that covers the pimple I'm less likely to touch it and it'll help the healing process. By far its helped when I've had those terrible under skin cysts - those are just a lost cause I may as well use the treatment than suffer weeks of painful redness followed by a scab that is almost impossible to conceal.

free skin care · Sat Apr 04, 2009 11:23 pm

I also had a problem with picking at my face and focusing on the imperfections far too much. All that over-focusing only made the imperfections worse. Then, I got in a car accident which I was lucky enough to walk away from, and at home during my recovery time I just looked in the mirror and said, 'enough'. I think it was a culmination of timing and circumstances--I had enough pain without giving myself any more, willingly. I've been really good at avoiding the habit since.
I wish you luck and strengh in dealing with this and everything else.

free skin care · Sun Apr 05, 2009 12:20 pm

On Friday night I did myself in. I had a cystic pimple coming up fast on my chin and I picked at it. I knew better and tried to stop several times but could not resist in the end. Now I have this huge scab on my chin and I don't even want to leave the house. After the scab is gone I'll be left with yet another hyperpigmentation area to work on.

I've been a picker since I can remember and my Mom is also a picker. I even pick at my arms Crying or Very sad

Now my son is a picker as well but he is much better now since his acne is clearing up nicely using the blue LED Lightstim.

Genetic component? Anxiety? Environmental?

free skin care · Sun Apr 05, 2009 2:25 pm

Millbader: It's odd isn't it. My mom is very "picky" (in all senses really). She doesn't pick her skin but you can tell she has that tendency, picking at frays in a throw etc.
My boyfriend used to pick... His mother does to this day. I pick at my arms too! I have KP, and ingrown hairs so I just get an urge to free those little hairs. I always do it when I'm really concerned or worried about something.

Good news: I haven't picked since I posted on Wednesday. I got to a point where I was so disgusted with myself, ashamed and unhappy. The day after I pick, it hurts! This forum is giving me hope about my skin! Also, it's been looking better since I switched back to my old Luxiva cleanser.

free skin care · Sun Apr 05, 2009 2:33 pm

PinkLeader wrote:

I also had a problem with picking at my face and focusing on the imperfections far too much. All that over-focusing only made the imperfections worse. Then, I got in a car accident which I was lucky enough to walk away from, and at home during my recovery time I just looked in the mirror and said, 'enough'. I think it was a culmination of timing and circumstances--I had enough pain without giving myself any more, willingly. I've been really good at avoiding the habit since.
I wish you luck and strengh in dealing with this and everything else.

Wow! That's a powerful story. Thank you for sharing it with us. As I mature I see less need to enforce such strict standards of perfection on myself, and beat myself up when I fail to reach them. I'm going to keep your story with me to give me strength.

It's so complex, isn't it.

Katsey, I agree. Sometimes with giant whiteheads (massive), I am not bothered at all. I know they'll go away on their own if I leave them be. If you have two pimples on your face and you leave one and pick one. The picked one will be an angry mark for months and months. The problem is people will gladly point out a giant whitehead. Grrrr. I get upset about that. I feel like I'm okay with it, you should be too.

free skin care · Sun Apr 05, 2009 2:37 pm

Sorry for talking about myself, I don't want to make this about me Embarassed

It is just so therapeutic to talk about this. My boyfriend gets kind of angry at me (I think because he is concerned). My mom doesn't want to hear about it, and my best friends don't really understand. Hearing that I'm not alone struggling with this makes me feel a lot better. Anyone else?

free skin care · Mon Apr 06, 2009 1:35 am

I had a problem with it as well. Everytime I notice a breakout or several clogs I'd get so affected by it I'll pick at it using one of those blackhead squeezers which is a metal stick with a loop on it. All the improper picking caused all my scars right now sigh.

My advice will be to throw away such things and also focus, focus! Think clearly and only pick when the zit is 'ripe'.

free skin care · Mon Apr 06, 2009 5:19 am

callalily wrote:

The problem is people will gladly point out a giant whitehead. Grrrr. I get upset about that. I feel like I'm okay with it, you should be too.

I totally agree! If only people didn't make such a big deal out of it, I wouldn't have to be so obsessive compulsive about picking Sad

free skin care · Mon Apr 06, 2009 7:25 am

DON'T DO IT. I have done this way too much in the past and now I have some damaged pores and small scars.

free skin care · Mon Apr 06, 2009 11:33 pm

Does anyone care to join me on a non-picking crusade? It's been almost a week for me which is pretty excellent. I'm feeling more positive about my skin Very Happy

knock on wood.

free skin care · Tue Apr 07, 2009 8:32 am

i, too, have a bad habit of picking my pimples but i can't help it! i just want to get rid of them but in the end i'm left with scars -=(

free skin care · Wed Apr 08, 2009 4:42 pm

Just a quick update on my latest picking nightmare. Yesterday I had to leave the house but I was so self conscience that I put a band-aid over the scab Sad

Does anyone know a good way to cover over a scab without it looking even worse?

Today the scab is mostly gone and I am left with the typical red pigmentation mark.

I did find that using the Acne LightStim on the wound did reduce the swelling and hasten the healing process.

free skin care · Thu Apr 09, 2009 1:17 pm

Aww Millbader I sympathize. Well if it's in the red stage just dab some concealer on that baby. Hopefully a really non-pore clogging one. I usually feel a lot better with those red marks covered. Psychologically less distressed and less likel to pick.
For the past two!! maybe three nights I've been picking. Horrendous! All the red marks in the mirror tell me this is not an okay behaviour. Not to mention PHOTOs. Eughhh. Nearing the end of school though. Dancing

1 Term Paper down, 1 to go. And then exams. My goal is to focus on the important things for this month, and not upset my skin/self unnecessarily.

free skin care · Thu Apr 09, 2009 1:26 pm

Why do you guys think we engage in this activity. There's a theory that we are turning our anger/aggression against ourselves instead of the outside world (friends/partners/family/work). Sometimes I think it's an insecurity thing. Like, I feel badly against myself or hypercritical so I "beat myself up" or engage in self-destructive behaviour... One of the theories is that young women do this to themselves because male attention makes them uncomfortable so they subconsciously want to avert it. I remember once a friend's dad would make inappropriate gestures or comments and at one particular dinner party, feeling very uncomfortable I just went into the bathroom and mercilessly squeezed at my pores.

I've told my psychologist about this and psychiatrist as well. My psychologist said "I used to pick all my pimples." - which is different from my situation as I have a compulsion and a habit of picking regardless of whether there are actual blemishes on my face.
My psychiatrist just said well you're skin looks good to me.

free skin care · Thu Apr 09, 2009 5:13 pm

milbader wrote:

Just a quick update on my latest picking nightmare. Yesterday I had to leave the house but I was so self conscience that I put a band-aid over the scab Sad

Does anyone know a good way to cover over a scab without it looking even worse?

Today the scab is mostly gone and I am left with the typical red pigmentation mark.

I did find that using the Acne LightStim on the wound did reduce the swelling and hasten the healing process.

Milbader-- I am a big fan of the Brave Soldier line, and on their website they referred to some study or some such that indicated that wounds healed faster when kept "moist" with some sort of antibacterial ointment. I LOVE Brave Soldier's antibacterial ointment (you can buy it at skinstore.com), and whenever I end up with one of the scabs you're talking about I just keep it covered with a dab of the ointment, and it heals and peels off in just a couple of days, whereas it used to take a week or more without the ointment. If you don't want to wait for an online order, I've had similar, almost-as-good results with Burt's Bees Res-Q ointment, so that's one you might try too. Hang in there--- it will be gone before you know it!

free skin care · Thu Apr 09, 2009 5:30 pm

Thanks for everyones comments, I found them really valuable as I have the same problem. Cheers

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