Peeling skin... self inflicted.. psychological?!


Question: ok im not a cutter or emo or whatever you want to call it.
but when my skin peels (on its own) because of dry skin or scabs or something.. i peel it off.. i keep peeling untill i pretty much cant grab any more skin to peel.. i dont do this because i enjoy pain or anything.. (because i really actually hate pain) but i just keep peeling untill i cant peel it anymore..
you know..? when you peel and it snaps off and you cant grab it anymore..?
is this psycological?
i cant seem to stop even if it stings a little..
i keep peeling untill i cant see any loose skin left.
your thoughts on why i do this? or how to stop?
ive been doing this since i was very young.. i think it started with my feet/ hands.. when id go swimming or something and my feet/ fingers would peel.. id peel it.

(ill totally understand if you just say its because im crazy)
(my mother seems to think so too.)


Answers: ok im not a cutter or emo or whatever you want to call it.
but when my skin peels (on its own) because of dry skin or scabs or something.. i peel it off.. i keep peeling untill i pretty much cant grab any more skin to peel.. i dont do this because i enjoy pain or anything.. (because i really actually hate pain) but i just keep peeling untill i cant peel it anymore..
you know..? when you peel and it snaps off and you cant grab it anymore..?
is this psycological?
i cant seem to stop even if it stings a little..
i keep peeling untill i cant see any loose skin left.
your thoughts on why i do this? or how to stop?
ive been doing this since i was very young.. i think it started with my feet/ hands.. when id go swimming or something and my feet/ fingers would peel.. id peel it.

(ill totally understand if you just say its because im crazy)
(my mother seems to think so too.)

I do this on my feet but also pick the skin of around my fingers.

After doing it for nearly 13 years, i recently foung out it has a name:

'Dermatillomania"

I dont think your crazy or horrible because i understand. I wish so much that i could tell you how to stop this or get help - but i havent yet got to that stage. I just wish you all the luck and i truly hope you can overcome this habit.

Maybe you have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

See a Doctor and get yourself checked =]

yah its some kinda psych thing or another....i understand.....if i have a scab, i always pick them off before they are ready to come off, regardless of if it hurts or bleeds, so i have a few scars, and it takes forever for the injuries to heal (they are not self inflicted), cuz i keep picking off the damn scab, but i can.t stand it!

i can relate.. if i ever had a scab or something, and took a shower, and the skin was wet around it, id peel it all off, and i always bite around my finger nails, and pull that skin off..
its definetly psychological... id say its either an anxiety sort of deal, but more than likely some sort of obsessive compulsive disorder

I am a long term skin peeler myself.
I think it has to do with anxiety and stress.
It helps me to keep my hands busy.
Wear socks to keep you from peeling your feet.
My mother would always say, "You can get an infection and die from doing that." Mothers don't seem to understand. They don't like to see us hurting ourselves.
Now, I am joking around by saying, a skin peeler's dream is to get a sunburn because of all the skin that we can peel off.
This sounds horrible to most people.
At times I don't seem to do it as much as at other times.
This is why I think it has to do with stress. It is our way of managing stress. For me, I kind of get "spaced out" while doing it. I think it is a form of dissociation for me.
Best Wishes and be careful!





The consumer health information on answer-health.com is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions.
The answer content post by the user, if contains the copyright content please contact us, we will immediately remove it.
Copyright © 2007-2011 answer-health.com -   Terms of Use -   Contact us

Health Categories