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Skin picking

Discussion in 'Physical & Sexual Health' started by Fugs, May 18, 2013.

  1. Fugs

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    I've been peeling the skin off of my lips since I was a little kid. I don't usually do it consciously and only notice it when it starts to hurt. As a result my lips are constantly chapped or raw and I was wondering if it's something I should bring up with my therapist or doctor, or whether it's not a big deal.
     
  2. lawRAWR

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    I have a related problem to you, but its on my hands; I bite my nails and the skin around them. I'm thinking of going to the doctor. Our habits may be anxiety rooted.
     
  3. Dublin Boy

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    I do the same thing :slight_smile:
     
  4. Fugs

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    It's probably stress related. Is it weird that it kind of feels good? I'm not sure why I do it really.
     
  5. lawRAWR

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    It's not weird that it feels good, that's the way your body is coping with the stress you are having. It is associating relieving stress with that action. Well, that's what I think anyways.
     
  6. Ettina

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    I do that too. Like my nail-biting, it seems to be another habit people consider stress related that, for me, has nothing at all to do with stress.

    Have you tried wearing funny-tasting stuff on your lips? Like lipstick, or that stuff that's supposed to help with chapped lips? Does it discourage you at all?
     
  7. RedPowerRanger

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    I`m glad i`m not the only one who does this. I pick my lips nearly all the time. It does feel good. Mostly do this at night. It soon grows back though even if they still dry.
     
  8. Winfield

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    Dude, I do this all the time!!! It's a habit a bad one really, but now I use "paw paw lip balm" (you can get it from your local supermarket) and I've stopped doing it now and my lips are back to normal
     
  9. Fugs

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    I wear watermelon lip balm all the time but they never have time to heal. Idk if it's something my therapist could even help with honestly and Idk what my doctor would do about it. I won't stop by myself though that's for sure :/
     
  10. TJ

    TJ
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    What!!
    Get yoself some dedication, and stahp!
    [​IMG]

    Naw but really - just work on stopping. You'll get there eventually. I used to do that, but just started stopping (lol) myself whenever I noticed it. Eventually stopped completely
     
    #10 TJ, May 18, 2013
    Last edited: May 18, 2013
  11. Fugs

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    Sassy... :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:

    I don't notice it until it's too late usually and I've been trying to stop for ages. It's not a serious problem tho I guess.
     
  12. Bobbybobby99

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    How odd. I used to peel off the skin on my lips and ate it, and now I eat the skin around my nails. I combined the two! :slight_smile:
     
  13. Goodnyte

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    I bite the skin around my nails. Always have. Mine is stress related. When I get really stressed I will start biting the skin around my nails. I try to stop, but putting stuff on it makes my fingers smell weird so..but be determined to stop. Eventually you will get there.
     
  14. bethpurple

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    I have a problem with picking scabs and any skin that's dry and rough - and this used to include my lips until I found out that keeping chapstick on them all the time stops them from getting like that. Previously I would put on chapstick every night before going to sleep, but it turns out that's just not enough. And I can usually stop myself from picking at scabs by keeping a band-aid on it. Now I just need to do something about the dry skin on my face. Even if I manage to stop for a while and let it heal up, it stays dry, and never really gets better.
     
  15. Lewis

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    Wear gloves for a while. Even in bed.

    Also make it a challenge for you to stop - making something challenging makes you try harder. Try be conscious of your picking, the minute you realise, stop. Make a chart or document all the times/days you did and didn't pick.

    It's tough, but it can be achieved. When I had a lot of acne, I used to pick/pop and I dedicated myself to quitting. Seeing the benefits each day made that dedication stronger.
     
  16. Rexmond

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    I do it too, not as much because when I was younger my parents would shout at me for doing it. I really have no clue why I do it, or how it started. It's one of two weird addictions that I have that I think will stay with me forever (since I do them unknowingly).
     
  17. Spurned

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    I, like most of you, also pick the skin off of my lips, but I'm really not sure if it's stress-related or not. I do it when bored or just for fun, I'm not sure how to stop it though.
     
  18. NightGrazer

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    I do that with the skin on my lips and around my fingernails/on my fingers! I actually do it to the point where there are layers of skin gone off my fingers and both my lips and fingers often bleed, it's become a habit but when I'm stressed or worried it gets worse!
     
  19. Adarya

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    I'm agreeing with the people that are saying that it's probably stress or anxiety related.

    I also find myself picking my nails/the skin and chewing on my lips when I'm stressed out. It's not entirely something bad unless it starts causing pain, bleeding, or further damage to your skin. If it does you should probably try to stop and if you can't then bring it up to a doctor, your therapist, or find ways to stop on the internet.

    Personal story here, but I actually had to stop myself from biting and chewing on my lips. With the way I play my clarinet I often get blisters on my upper lip from the friction, and chewing on it would only make it worse. In the end I had to use sheer will power and the fact that I wouldn't be able to play clarinet as well if my lips were always hurting. Though I've stopped I still forever have a bump on my upper lip, even when I don't have a blister from playing clarinet.
     
  20. PurpleRain

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    I do the same thing with my lips. And fingers... I have lots of bad habits. But I also have lots of stress...