Dermatillomania – Say What?

When you cannot stop picking at zits, scabs and other lesions, things get worse for the skin. For years, mothers would tell their children to stop picking at zits. Moms have long known that picking makes acne worse and creates a vicious cycle of breakouts, picking and scarring. “The family will come to the funeral,” mothers would say to children unable to keep their hands away from their faces.

For some people, it is an oddly satisfying sensation to remove a scab, pop a zit or flick a flake away. Sometimes picking becomes more than just a habit; it becomes an obsession. Picking has graduated to condition that now has a name. Dermatillomania is now the official name for the condition of obsessive skin picking.

Before you go around saying that you have Dermatillomania, keep in mind that this condition is a serious offshoot of obsessive-compulsive disorder. If your problem is that you just pick a few zits every now and again, you probably do not have Dermatillomania.

The thing about picking anything on the skin is that it increases the probability of scar formation. Dermatillomania is an unfortunate condition. It is a self-destructive behavior because scars form on the face and mar the skin.

If you have an inability to stop picking your zits, you are not alone. Even if you cannot stop picking you can do something about the scars. Acne scar removal treatments can go a long way towards restoring skin. If it is possible to get yourself to stop for a little bit, you will have a chance to see the good results and enjoy clearer skin. Perhaps just seeing your natural beauty will help you stop!

If picking has left your face marked with scars, it would be a terrific idea to get an acne scar removal treatment. Even if you pick your skin from time to time, acne scar removal treatments applied right away can help prevent the scar from forming.

Dermatillomania has finally earned its place in the medical world as a condition. Science has acknowledged that for some people,  picking is more than a habit. For acne pickers around the world, that is a step forward.