We are all obsessed with picking our skin whenever a pimple shows up. There is more to it, not just picking skin. Some experts have come up with more explanations for it.
Farber says it can be associated with anxiety and OCD when people exhibit excessive picking, cause scars or infections from picking, spend a significant amount of time picking, or feel compelled to remove skin imperfections. “Skin or hair picking/pulling is problematic when it becomes a source of stress or anxiety relief,” she says. Hafeez adds that we’re all prone to picking our faces. The biggest differentiator is the feelings associated with the habit. Although in many cases people may have significant acne, it is also common for people to scratch when there are very few lesions. A psychological disorder is associated with a compulsion to pick/pull that can cause significant disruption to one’s life.
Ways to stop picking your face with some good tips from experts.
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Try Journaling
Instead of defaulting to picking your face as a coping mechanism, journaling every morning or night might help ease frustration and anxiety creeping their way into your headspace. If you don’t want to extend too much, try bullet journaling, a style of note-taking based on intention and productivity. It may give you clarity and keep you focused while stimulating creativity.
Hide Your Mirror
Do as recommended by Hafeez and kick the bad habit of staring into a magnified mirror. While they’re great when we’re doing some makeup or at-home brow maintenance, these mirrors may reinforce picking by putting every “flaw” on display and inciting temptation. Also avoid spending too much time staring at the bathroom mirror, especially right after a hot shower.
Consider Therapy
For mental health, skin picking is often a sign of significant stress, depression, or anxiety that needs to be treated not only to help improve skin but also because this can cause a significant decline in one’s overall well-being.
“Consider therapy if the picking is leading to scarring and perhaps even is interfering with other aspects of life or if it leads to self-sabotaging thoughts, low self-worth, and even depression,” Hafeez says.
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Clip Your Nails
A surprising tip for not exacerbating your skin even more? Keeping your nails short. Try clipping or filing your nails every week to avoid using them for picking—it will be more of a challenge. It can be helpful especially in more mild cases or for the occasional picker.
“As you have shorter and cleaner nails, it also decreases the chances of infections that can precipitate skin flares,” says Farber.
Occupy Your Hands
Whether it’s something as simple as keeping a stress ball or Silly Putty by your desk or simply getting into the kitchen and making a batch of cookies or a loaf of bread, keeping your hands busy (and thus, off your face) is another great option if you’re trying to wean yourself off the habit of picking your face. Remember: if you make it a habit and be aware of where your hands are all the time, it will be easier to stop this pattern.
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Consider Medication
“It is important to make sure to address more significant underlying issues,” says Farber. Therapy and potential medication like anti-depressants for the psychological aspect can be life-changing. OTC supplements might also help. Rae’s DeStress Capsules contain Ashwagandha, a traditional herb in Indian, or Ayurvedic, medicine. In the group of adaptogens, this herb is used to regulate physical and emotional stresses in the body, reducing anxiety.3 Talk to your doctor before taking any medications or supplements.
Try Face Masks
While working or resting, a cream or sheet mask may work as a barrier making it harder to keep picking. Farber agrees that nourished skin minimizes irritation and lesions. After the damage is done, calming and soothing masks may also help fight irritation and inflammation. Some face masks are thick enough to stop our hands from picking and it has a lot of good reviews for treating redness, and dry and sensitive skin.
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