- Hypnotherapy
- Wear a rubber band on your wrist and snap it each time you are about to engage in picking.
- Keep your hands busy doing other things. Buy yourself a koosh ball, silly putty, or other fidget toy to keep your hands occupied.
- The Brain Physics Mental Health Resource site suggests that SSRI antidepressants can help those with skin picking problems. But they also give this cautionary advice: "Usually, 65 percent improvement from a medication is considered a good result. Medication should never be considered an end in itself, but a tool to help with therapy."
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as a treatment for Dermatillomania show the best results from research and from anecdotal reports from sufferers of these disorders. Part of this therapy can include something called Habit Reversal Training (HRT) where the person may keep a journal of times when they pick their skin to try to determine what their personal triggers to this behavior might be. Once the patient is more aware of what circumstances may bring on an episode, they can try to make changes to eliminate these triggers or choose another action.
If the desire to pick at your acne is becoming a problem for you the first step is to see a dermatologist to find ways to control your acne. The American Academy of Dermatology has a page to "Find a Dermatologist" in your area.
Other on-line resources for support for compulsive skin picking can be found at:
For more information about acne please visit Health Central's My Skin Care Connection Acne Information page. If you feel that your picking is a compulsion you cannot seem to stop it may be time to consult with a mental health practitioner for help. Popping zits might seem like a harmless behavior but it will aggravate your acne situation and actually make things worse. So remember, keep your hands away from your face and leave your zits alone!
