Skin picking can be a difficult habit to break, but there are several strategies that can help prevent and mitigate it. Here are some techniques that may be helpful:
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Barriers: Using makeup wipes or artificial nails can create a barrier between your fingers and your skin, making it more difficult to pick.
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Time: Try washing your face in the shower and avoiding the mirror before and after showering to decrease the urge to pick. Writing down triggers and manipulating your environment to eliminate objects that may encourage picking can also be helpful.
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Levels of picking: Some skin-pickers find it useful to think about different levels of picking. "A" spots are like the whitehead on the end of your nose; spots that most humans would clear out. "B" spots are sore or infected, but are better off left alone; they will probably be worse if you pick at them. "C" spots are healthy skin. Telling yourself that the spot youre noticing is not an "A" spot, that it is something you ought to leave alone, is a helpful way to talk yourself out of picking.
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Visualize using other strategies: Talking to non-pickers has helped some people grasp the idea that there are other choices besides picking at a spot that is sore. Seeing other people demonstrate that they dont choose to pick infected spots helps visualize that there are other ways to respond to skin blemishes.
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Take away the opportunity to pick: People with dermatillomania may benefit from fidget toys or putting on gloves to keep their hands busy.
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Seek professional help: A licensed skin care specialist called an aesthetician can help clear the skin, and a healthcare provider or therapist can provide medication or therapy to help control skin picking behavior.
Its important to remember that what works for one person may not work for another, and that breaking the habit of skin picking may require constant effort.
