Top products from r/CompulsiveSkinPicking

These have helped me so much!

The less you touch your face, the better! I use these at night, even on blemishes that haven't fully erupted but feel coming on. Seriously a miracle product.

It is SO SATISFYING to see the patch in the morning, it turns white with the absorbed oils, and honestly, pulling it off my skin, seeing the contained puffy white goo, and knowing I haven't destroyed a larger area of skin trying to extract a zit, feels even better than popping. (And to be gross, yeah, I'll poke the patch with my nail in awe.)

Couple other tips that are helping me stop the break-out cycle-

1. Change your pillowcase everyday. I put 3-4 pillowcases on my pillow, and when I go to bed, I take the last one off, and boom, fresh clean surface. This has made a noticeable difference in my skin! Amazon has endless options for inexpensive pillowcase sets, and is cheaper than Bed Bath & Beyond.
   
   
2. Be religious about washing your face before bedtime. I'm not always perfect at this, but I'm working at making it habit. The ritual of caring for my skin helps me stop picking. After I've washed (Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser) and used my products, it is a big motivator to not touch my face.
   
   
3. I also have a ridiculous stash of washcloths. I keep these in a basket in my bedroom, and use a fresh one each morning in the shower, and a fresh one to dry my face at night.
   
   When you have a pimple that has fully come to a head and you just have to pop it, wash your hands first, and better yet, use one of these tools, and make sure it is sanitized (I use rubbing alcohol) before you use it, and after!
   
   
   
   
   

Fidget toys helped me tremendously. I really like this type https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/4c/13/18/4c13186332a6e6f3e4e62bf6c09ff7c6.jpg and also this type (don't buy that listing it is super overpriced, but I wanted to link to the JR because that was the best one for me, since I'm a woman and it's small enough I can use it in one hand while I read or am on the internet). I have several other friends who suffer from mild to severe CSP and have given the Tangles to all of them and a year later they've all told me how much it helps (including an 8 year old kid). I'd highly recommend sending her a package and also get yourself a few (they're fun even if you don't "need" them) and maybe just play with them while you're skyping with her, stuff like that. Good luck and you're a great partner!

My recommendation for soothing, moisturizing face masks are these Dermal Collagen Essence Sheet Masks. They can’t be worn all night but are super soothing for freshly picked skin, and have great ingredients. Plus, it’s 16 sheet masks for 10 bucks! Can’t go wrong there. I have dry, sensitive, acne-prone skin, and I absolutely love these.

Alternatively, for overnight and long term masks I would recommend Vaseline. It makes your face slippery so you can’t pick, and also keeps your skin moist and creates the perfect environment for healing. On r/skincareaddiction they call this the “slug life” or “slugging it.”

Both of these options are non-comedogenic and inexpensive! Best of luck.

I can totally empathize, as it suddenly got very bad for me too. My picking issue concerns chronic ingrown hairs (some legitimate, some self-induced by creating an "environment" really conducive to their development via picking). Exfoliation is touted as the best treatment, but, well, I kinda don't think it really does dick. I have used these and also usually just over my jawline and neck. I feel like they help a little in preventing/reducing the occurrence, maybe better than nothing. I like 'em because they contain both AHA and BHA, which are supposed to work pretty well synergistically. But pretty expensive.

AHA (glycolic acid, lactic acid, mandelic acid, etc. in a variety of concentrations and formulations) is good for surface stuff like whiteheads and uneven skin tone. It will burn like mad for a few seconds if you use it over any open wounds (and possibly even if you don't). Also pretty drying. You'll be red and flushed, so moisturizer and SPF is a must after applying anything with an AHA.

BHA (aka salicylic acid, like Stridex pads) penetrates deeper into the pore. Good for blackheads and reduces inflammation. Not nearly as intense as AHAs (you rarely find concentrations of more than 2%) but still a bit drying in my experience. My skin tends towards dry anyway, so I always have to use a moisturizer.

There's some controversy over whether physical or purely chemical exfoliation is better. I've heard of the medicated pads having the potential to make "micro tears" in your skin, leading to breakouts but that really smacks of some bullshit. If you find that physical exfoliants are too harsh, don't use 'em. Whenever my skin seems to react badly to the pads, I tend to use this gel. Paula's Choice does have some nice chemical options in the form of leave-on gels, liquids, and creams, but like you said, expensive as fuck. Honestly, drugstore/generic equivalents will probably get the job done without breaking the bank. The fewer ingredients, the better (as a rule of thumb).

I've learned that keeping my wounds from drying out and scabbing over is key to speeding healing and minimizing scarring. Occlusives like Neosporin, Aquaphor, or even plain Vaseline are your best bets. Apparently you're not supposed to use Neosporin for more than a few days, but I used to slather myself with that stuff for weeks at a time before discovering Aquaphor. Didn't have any issues (except perhaps more resistant bacteria? Who knows). People also swear by hydrocolloidal bandages (think blister patches). They promote a moist healing environment w/o having to use any chemicals and you can leave on for several days.

There doesn't seem to be anything that helps very much with those hard bumps except time. Moisture + SPF should keep them from getting worse, at least. Sigh.

I'm a software engineer! I've found gloves (like the knit cotton kind) work fine on "classic" keyboards, but they can get a bit tricky on laptop keyboards.

I also pick my shoulders and wearing long sleeves helps cut down on that a lot.

Fidget toys are great for a lot of people, but with habit replacement it's best to pick something you can perform in any situation you might pick (so, if you get a fidget toy as your habit replacement, what do you do when you don't have it with you?). Making a fist works well for me, someone else here mentioned trying snapping and said it worked really well to ahem snap him out of it.

OMG Hydrocolloid bandages. So, they're blister bandages, but somebody smart figured out you can use the same thing really effectively for pimples and started marketing them as such. The material they're made out of absorbs fluid and can pull pus out of "mature" pimples (ones with a head to them). Some people say it only works if they lance the pimples first, but other people can get them to work without lancing the pimples. And you can get generic ones from just about any grocery or drugstore for a lot cheaper and cut them to the sizes you want (they'll be near the normal band-aid type bandages and say "hydrocolloid" somewhere on the label). Search around /r/skincareaddiction some (I think there's actually a picture post about hydrocolloid bandages near the top there right now) and you'll see a bunch of people raving about them or talking about the best way to use them.

I was suggesting on another post the thin cotton gloves - can get on amazon and I think would work well with thumb/finger pickers. Put some lotion on and glove over it at night as well to help healing process.

Also I think I will link a couple little things that have been helping me a lot now.

spinner ring

awesome little fidget toy

The ring I have on my index finger and can spin it with my thumb and that spinner has a nice weight to it and spins super easy just holding between thumb and a finger - these are two that have been the most helpful so far as far as calm hand gadgets

Hey! I have the exact problem as you do, except probably more advanced. I'm 28 and have been picking target areas of my skin since Elementary School. I think the scalp picking happened just after high school ended for me. I remember a time where I can run my own fingers through my hair and not lift a bunch of skin off my scalp to leave terrible looking flakes in my hair... I have to basically take a very fine tooth comb to pull the dead skin out of my hair follicles that lifted off of my damaged scalp. No fun. I feel that I've picked my scalp so much that it hasn't ever really had time to heal and so I'm here with a deranged form of dandruff where the flakes are large disks and not small flecks.

So, yeah it does gets worse for you. The worst area is right at the crown of my head right at the hairline. I'll have just taken a shower, after scrubbing my scalp free of dead flakes and I'll get out to find MORE lifted up. In plain sight, for everyone to see. I have to wear certain hairstyles to hide it and know I can't at ALL touch my hair lest I release another dandruff-looking monster. And, I hope you know that any scarring on the scalp is going to be a spot hair can't grow back. So there's that, too.

I just wanted to get all my horror stories out of the way before I get into some of the whys and fixes. Compulsive skin picking is indeed in the OCD family, and part of how it works is similar to having a drug addiction. We look for imperfections on our skin, and when we give into our moments of picking we not only get a large sense of relief, we are releasing endorphins and getting a mini high off of doing it! So, just know that when you care little about the damage you cause yourself and give into the feel-goods, you're giving into your brain and body's twisted urges and it may not be a conscious choice of yours at all.

I'm still trying to find ways to heal my scalp quicker than I pick it (because we all have bad days). I need to do research on Head & Shoulders because I don't think it's as good as I was lead to believe. Sucks too, because I found a SCALP CARE version of the shampoo. I purchased a $9 tub of hair masque from a beauty store recently and I use that a few times a week when I feel I really need a 'pick me up' for my scalp. I've also just ordered a "scalp shampoo brush" and tea tree oil shampoo from Amazon, which neither I have experience with yet but have heard wonderful things, especially about the shampoo brush.

Gotta end my babble here because I have to get to work, sorry if any of this is a jumbled mess to read. Hopefully, there's something helpful in there for you. I know giving into our impulses feels great, but out body can't handle these habits indefinitely.

Scalp Shampoo Brush (there's more options too)

Tee Tree Oil Shampoo

Read the reviews and questions for more about them and how they've helped folk. :)

Have you ever heard of a Tangle? I randomly came across them on Amazon and have been using it to help curb my nail biting and picking at the surrounding skin. It’s never 100% effective for me, but I often wrap it around my fingers and get a good grip so it’s truly a one-handed object. I haven’t found the perfect distraction yet, but this thing does the job and I personally would suggest giving it a shot. They also twist up to be fairly small (or at least mine does) when not in use.

It seems they have the Tangle and Tangle Jr. I have a Jr. and it fits perfectly for my smaller hands, but it all depends on your needs and what you’re looking for!

TANGLE Jr. Set of 3- Amazon

Have you ever tried keeping the area moisturized? That has seemed to help me recently when it comes to picking my skin. Whenever I feel an urge to pick at my arms & legs I will usually try to distract myself from the thought as well (which isn’t always easy). I find sometimes it helps to reward myself with things like a good meal, materialistic things, etc when I haven’t picked in a while. It gives me more incentive to not want to pick and it makes me feel better about myself when I can see progress.

I remember someone linking these little finger cots to try and prevent picking. I haven’t used these personally, but I have seen them recommended on this subreddit and I’ve highly considered purchasing them myself.

Link to finger cots

Would also recommend trying something like a fidget device to distract your hands whenever you feel an urge come on.

Fidget Land

Hydrocolloid patches have been my absolute best friend. Just gotta stop touching it, especially if it’s a real bruise. You can’t make the bruise go away any faster, but the patches I use help to draw out any gunk and allows the skin to heal.

I use these

I’ve tried several other brands, but always come back to these. They do an incredible job and have honestly saved my face

Sorry to hear about your relapse, a week is a good amount of time, though! I’m definitely not perfect, and tend to pick when I’m home all day too, however, lately I’ve found these (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077TJHWWY?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share) helpful when I’m home or I put on a honey mask so that I physically can’t pick.

More recently, I have found journaling every morning about my picking from the day before and writing down my goals for today very helpful. A lot of it consists of talking myself back up, because as everyone on this sub I’m sure knows, the shame after picking can be brutal... So I try and write about forgiving myself and remind myself to not be so hard on myself and not expect to go from 0 to 100 in a week. I am bound to relapse and that’s part of recovery. The point is you keep trying and before you know it the days that you didn’t pick will outweigh the ones that you did.

Good luck to you!

Hey now, there are plenty of legitimate reasons out there worthy of self-hatred, like not liking dogs or being racist or eating pineapple on pizza, but this isn't one of them!

I pick my fingers and sometimes mine look this bad too. Personally I like these band aids (they're thinner so they breathe better & dry faster when you wash your hands but stay on longer) and these gel-ish finger covers. Both are good as a preventative measure for me.

The reason it works is because it contains salicylic acid. I'd recommend just getting a skincare product with salicylic acid instead, since as /u/Lykkekat says, it is made for skin and not ingestion. The red Stridex is a favorite over at /r/SkincareAddiction since it's cheap, alcohol free, and effective.

https://www.amazon.com/Jarrow-Formulas-Sustain-Supports-Function/dp/B0013OVVK0/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=jarrow+nac&qid=1570516088&sr=8-3

This is the brand I use. I take 1200 mg a day, but my psychiatrist recommended taking 2400 mg so I'm gonna start doing that this week. I've had a lot of success with NAC. I would say my picking reduced by like 60% after taking it for a few months. I still obsess over picking, but I don't feel the compulsions as much.

what exactly are hydrocolloid bandages? what makes them special? do they actually work?

There's no shame in antisocial. If your boyfriend is really a keeper, he'll understand or strive to understand.

Do you have glasses? they may be more beneficial to you

Also, it sounds like the kind of face masks you do induce you to pick: stop doing them. Get face masks that are like these from amazon. It's basically a thin cloth doused in the good skin care liquid (they really do work) and you throw it away after one use. Stop the face masks, and maybe cut down on face washing.

Can you try drinking more water? what about taking vitamin c?

also, i totally feel you about the trance

here

Compared to the Peter Thomas Roth Acne Dots, the ones from Amazon are a thicker material. You could wear the PTR dots in public and no one would really notice. The amazon ones are more noticeable, and I wouldn’t wear them in public, but I use them overnight and when I’m just at the house all day. I like that they are a thicker material because when I “graze”, it feels like a little gel dot and I can touch it without destroying my skin.

I also have KP and have been picking since I was about 10 (15 years now...). Here are a few products that have helped both the KP on my arms and scars/acne on my face:

• Scar Care with onion bulb extract (use almost every night)
  
  
• AmLactin 12% (I actually use this everywhere - great on elbows)
  
  
• Acne/scar care with green tea (reduces redness)
  
  I also plan on getting one of the Konjac sponges that are so highly recommended on this sub.
  
  Edit: I also hydrocortizone cream occasionally. But, I've heard that skin can become "addicted" to this steroid.

THIS. Yes, /u/diredireitsfleeting and /u/thrway332244 (don't know if you'll see this), thank you for posting and commenting about this. I know there are plenty of skin-pickers like me out there, but I've always felt alone with the eating it thing...the dermatillomania is shameful enough, but the shame I feel from the dermatophagia is so much greater. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to admit this to anyone. I do this also along with the picking (pick then ingest) and I DON'T UNDERSTAND why. It is not like I find it appetizing or anything, it is just as compulsive as the picking. Nail biting polish definitely helps, but the challenge is to motivate yourself to use it, knowing it will make it unbearable to chew later. I also try to think about how I'll feel after an episode. Personally, I never actually reach satisfaction with this stuff, so it helps to acknowledge that and tell myself, "well, it won't work anyway." Because it's all about gratifying a temptation, but it will never actually reach gratification because there's always more to pick/bite/chew. So what that leaves you with is just damage to your body. There is no reward. I recommend checking out The Habit Change Workbook.

Amazon! I take this one and love it — https://www.amazon.com/Jarrow-Formulas-Sustain-Supports-Function/dp/B0013OVVK0

Well, they're really supposed to draw out all the liquid from the pimple, which they do great. Here's a couple brands (I think the Nexcare ones work better but the CosRx ones are cheaper):

Nexcare

CosRx

They cover the whole area, so you're also prevented from picking at it. You can see it working, the patch is translucent and when it has drawn out moisture it gets opaque and bulges a little. They really, really work and are non-medicated so not as drying as some ointments.

I have a ton of these tangle toys and I love them. They definitely keep me from being destructive and are easy to take in public.

I use these ones to clear my acne and help with wound healing. They come in two sizes that are just right for the job!

I don't have anything to add that hasn't already been mentioned except

hydrocolloid bandages

hydrocolloid bandages!!!

They cover up the picked spot (which cuts down on those finger germs from absent-minded prodding) and suck up all the fluid so you're left with a slowly-closing moist wound rather than a hard, dry scab (which I would inevitably pick off, setting back the healing every time).

This is my favorite brand. And they're wayyy less noticeable than wearing a Band-Aid on ya face.

Don't forget to visit /r/SkincareAddiction for advice on how to clear out those tempting bumps, and how to lessen the scarring, too.

And welcome!

Acne Pimple Master Patch 72 dots - Absorbing Hydrocolloid Blemish Spot Skin Treatment and Care Dressing https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KGCW56F/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_zSQEDbMQDR73T

Try not to beat yourself up about it. Use this as a reminder of why you had to quit in the first place and why you won't do it again. As for the self conscious part, everyone gets the random zit & no one really cares as much as you think they will. People on here talk about something they put on their spots, I think it's these things -> http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00BRGUNV2/ref=pd_aw_sims_3?pi=SY115&simLd=1

As long as you're not sensitive to adhesive, you might have good luck with hydrocolloidal acne patches.

I use them to cover broken skin (to keep it from getting infected), spots that are swollen and painful (because theoretically the patches reduce swelling), and spots that I just can't stop picking at.

They're unobtrusive but still visible, so I usually wear them at night instead of during the day. Don't wear them more than 12 hours in a row or so or the skin will get really delicate.

Look up finger cots on Amazon or check your local drug store.

Apply healing salve and keep them on over night.

Here are the ones I have but there are many different brands. Reusable Rubber Finger Gloves(tm) for Durable and Versatile Finger Only Coverage

Avarelle Acne Absorbing Cover Patch Hydrocolloid, Tea Tree, Calendula Oil, CICA (40 ROUND PATCHES) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075QNC39Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_JMWrDbH98HXVY

Here you go, 40 round hydrocolloidal bandaids for $8.50

If you have prime it's got quick shipping!

They should be in the bandage section, they might also be called blister bandages. The bandages got kinda pricey (like $4-5 per pack of 10-15 bandages, which I cut into smaller squares) so I just started buying the 10 ct hydrocolloid sheets off amazon (I got this one for $12, but there are a lot of options).

I got something along the lines of this

https://www.amazon.com/Reusable-Finger-Gloves-Versatile-Coverage/product-reviews/B0002NYPGU

but not that exact product, can't remember the exact one I got. I wear it over my fingers so I physically can't pick at my skin, I usually wear it at home or whenever I'm alone

https://www.amazon.com/Dynarex-Dynaderm-Hydrocolloid-Dressing-Count/dp/B00U1H9M92/ref=mp_s_a_1_13?keywords=hydrocolloid+patch&qid=1574294608&sprefix=hydrocolloid+&sr=8-13


This is what I use when I have a bad cyst or pimple that needs a drain and heal. I just cut it down to the appropriate size and sterilize with witch hazel before putting it on.

So my nails used to look just like this. I still pick a bit but I am light years better than I used to be. I'm gonna ramble about what I went through.

So I eventually decided to get treated for depression and I started seeing a therapist specifically for the purpose of stopping the skin picking. During those sessions I came to the realization that the picking is a self harming behavior. I may not be taking razors to my arms or legs, but I am doing the picking in part because I want to hurt myself.

There was also the tactile sensation that drove me bonkers and I hated having loose bits of skin, rough spots, or hangnails I could feel. This, my therapist concluded, was attached to some minor OCD behaviors I have. Medication has helped tremendously.

So here's what I ended up doing:
Carrying around a thing of Vaseline. I had regular and one with cocoa butter in it. Basically, every time I started feeling for rough spots I'd smear Vaseline across my fingers.

I also invested in gloves. These are the ones I bought specifically and I freaking love them: https://foxglovesinc.com/collections/protextgloves

FIDGET TOYS! I got some of these: https://www.amazon.com/Set-Tangle-Jr-Original-Fidget/dp/B0034EKP8Q/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1494119292&sr=8-14&keywords=fidget+toys
Also stress ball toys are your friends.

I am not one for getting my nails done, so I just kept my nails trimmed as short as I could stand it without hitting the nail bed. This resulted in effectively not having enough leverage most of the time to pick at anything.

I also carried around a pair of nail clips. I did the trimming of the loose, rough skin by taking a pair of nail clips to the problem area. Getting my nail deep enough to hurt, and getting the clips deep enough to hurt are REALLY different and the nail clips were definitely more unpleasant. This helped me do just enough so I wouldn't annoy the crap out of myself, and get rid of the problem without causing more problems.

I also had to start paying attention to when I was picking absently and then train myself to reach for one of the many items that I've started carrying around with me instead.

I've also trained myself to rub firmly when doing the "searching" behavior absently like while sitting at a desk. This one's a little harder for me to describe. Like, I'll be running my thumb over my finger nails and instead of doing it absently, I try to make it a conscious thing. And when I do pick, I actively look at what I'm doing and 9 times out of 10 it results in me whipping out the nail clips to get rid of the offending piece of skin without hurting myself.

I also took up crochet in order to keep my hands busy when I wasn't doing something else. Coloring books and origami were also really helpful in this way.

I'm pretty sure this is a behavior I'm going to have the rest of my life and it is something to manage. There's good days and bad, and I tell my SO when I've completely shredded my cuticles, it's a good indicator that something is bothering me even if I'm not consciously aware of it. With that said, I am aware and sensitive to my stress levels. I do what I can to resolve my sources of stress when at all possible because I am more liable to pick out of a desire to feel pain than just as an idle behavior if I'm really stressed.