15 replies to this topic

[californiaEstie]

Ok so I guess I erased this earlier haha. Basically I've been picking my arms for 7+ years and I make them so much worse than they have to be. Keratosis Pilaris SUCKS ASS.

Edited by bek_cogent, 07 February 2011 - 10:43 PM.

[taylorobvi]

Congratulations on taking this step to stop picking! Just by wanting to stop you are braver than most.

I looked at your pictures, and your arms look fine to me! it almost looks like you had maybe two mosquito bites or something but otherwise they looked perfectly normal. Not diseased at all! So I hope that maybe it makes you feel better to hear that your arms look fine!

I would suggest that you start reading about Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). Maybe you have something like this with your arms--you imagine them to be disgusting and horrifying, and imagine that other people are grossed out by them, but its really not as bad as you think

YOU AND YOUR ARMS ARE BEAUTIFUL!
I wish you the best of luck in stopping picking. I am 3 weeks pick free myself so dont hesitate to ask me any questions or just vent about anything. I'm here!

[californiaEstie]

Congratulations on taking this step to stop picking! Just by wanting to stop you are braver than most.

I looked at your pictures, and your arms look fine to me! it almost looks like you had maybe two mosquito bites or something but otherwise they looked perfectly normal. Not diseased at all! So I hope that maybe it makes you feel better to hear that your arms look fine!

I would suggest that you start reading about Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). Maybe you have something like this with your arms--you imagine them to be disgusting and horrifying, and imagine that other people are grossed out by them, but its really not as bad as you think

YOU AND YOUR ARMS ARE BEAUTIFUL!--->
I wish you the best of luck in stopping picking. I am 3 weeks pick free myself so dont hesitate to ask me any questions or just vent about anything. I'm here!

Thank you so so much. It's been an obsession for almost half my life! I feel like my whole view on myself is warped but I don't want to claim BDD I think that annoys people... maybe I will talk to a therapist or whoever diagnoses that... Self esteem is a big problem with me. But than you for saying they don't look that bad, I feel a little better. To me they look grotesque.

Oh, I wish you the best of luck! Habits like picking are so so hard to break but I know it's possible. Congratulations on the 3 weeks! That is a long time. I probably will be asking questions and venting vice versa! <3

[Wynne]

I would suggest that you start reading about Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). Maybe you have something like this with your arms--you imagine them to be disgusting and horrifying, and imagine that other people are grossed out by them, but its really not as bad as you think

Actually, I think that pretty much anyone who has a physical flaw that they dislike see it in a much more exaggerated way lol.

Agreed; that doesn't automatically mean someone has BDD.

[Lullies]

Oh my gosh! Your arms aren't even that bad.
I have friends and their arms are covered with freckles in every square centimeter.
There are people who are covered in freckles, it's okay! (:

My arms are darker than the rest of my body, and I have moles in random places.
On my right arm, they make a diamond, haha (:

But, good luck with your picking habit!

[californiaEstie]

Thanks for the replies!! I didn't use soap on my arms or chest last night, only CeraVe cream last night and no picking... they look better!

@LULLIES: oooh a diamond! Haha how fun
@ASHLEYNICOLE: I will definitely try to stop caring me. I gotta.

[JayQ]

Thanks for the replies!! I didn't use soap on my arms or chest last night, only CeraVe cream last night and no picking... they look better!

@LULLIES: oooh a diamond! Haha how fun
@ASHLEYNICOLE: I will definitely try to stop caring me. I gotta.

Have you not tried the Amlactin yet bek? That is what cleared up my arm so i could get my tattoo. It took about a month applying it twice a day, morning and night. I also made sure not to use with soap in shower, just water only on it and for very briefly.

Edited by JayQ, 07 August 2010 - 03:32 PM.

[californiaEstie]

Thanks for the replies!! I didn't use soap on my arms or chest last night, only CeraVe cream last night and no picking... they look better!

@LULLIES: oooh a diamond! Haha how fun
@ASHLEYNICOLE: I will definitely try to stop caring me. I gotta.

Have you not tried the Amlactin yet bek? That is what cleared up my arm so i could get my tattoo. It took about a month applying it twice a day, morning and night. I also made sure not to was with soap in shower, just water only on it and for very briefly.

Hey Jay I have tried Amlactin a few times before, maybe not consistently enough? Maybe I should try again!!

[californiaEstie]

IGNORE CAPS MY laptop is killing me! AND UNECESSARY A"S LIKE TO INSERT IGNORE THEMSELVES>>


ANYWAY SO I TOTALLY STARTED PICKING THE WORST I HAVE IN A LONG TIME AFTER I MADE THIS POST_ I HAVE NO IDEA WHY> I JUsT got a suNburn from not using enOUGH suNscreEN ON MY aRMs so i am not TOuChing tHeM right now and i am hoping i can start over.


fail

[Dancer15]

Oh my gosh! Your arms aren't even that bad.
I have friends and their arms are covered with freckles in every square centimeter.
There are people who are covered in freckles, it's okay! (:

My arms are darker than the rest of my body, and I have moles in random places.
On my right arm, they make a diamond, haha (:

But, good luck with your picking habit!

I am one of those ppl! hah I have kerosis pilaris too. My freckles actually kind of hide it though. No one has ever really noticed it except me. Just moisturize!

But since I can tell it bothers you so much, you can do what I did. I went to my family doctor and she gave me a prescription to put on it. It also worked as an acne fighter too coincidentally. I haven't used it in years though so I am sorry but I can't give you the name unfortunately. But I am sure your dr will.

[MikeyMCG]

i dont necessarily have acne on my arms, but they annoy me because of the tanlines. Im currently using likas papaya soap to fade the tan and i think its working. I think the soap is also good at clearing arm acne.

[californiaEstie]

So this was a miserable fail. I'm sensing it will be a life long struggle.

[californiaEstie]

So this was a miserable fail. I'm sensing it will be a life long struggle.

Try not to stress out over it! If you slip up, you slip up. Find things to help keep your mind off of your arms.

I'm excited for winter I guess because I can wear long sleeves. If I wear long sleeves my chances of picking go way down. But since it's hot out now I just sweat like a pig and everyone thinks I'm weird


I'll try!

[californiaEstie]

^
Hey thanks for the advice. Good ones. I need to find cardigans that aren't too tight because my tummy! Haha, but yes I like to wear long sleeves. People look at me like I'm crazy.

What kind of body makeup? Sounds like a good idea I'm just not sure how it would work. Have you tried it before? Whenever I cover something on my chest it's super obvious. Lol.

I'm starting again... it's so hard to stop. Now that summer is coming up I really have to try. Moisturizing has been helping.

[californiaEstie]

WHAT THE F**K!!!!!!

My upper and lower legs now have it too. WHY????

[californiaEstie]

Oh my gosh! Your arms aren't even that bad.
I have friends and their arms are covered with freckles in every square centimeter.
There are people who are covered in freckles, it's okay! (:

My arms are darker than the rest of my body, and I have moles in random places.
On my right arm, they make a diamond, haha (:

But, good luck with your picking habit!

I am one of those ppl! hah I have kerosis pilaris too. My freckles actually kind of hide it though. No one has ever really noticed it except me. Just moisturize!

But since I can tell it bothers you so much, you can do what I did. I went to my family doctor and she gave me a prescription to put on it. It also worked as an acne fighter too coincidentally. I haven't used it in years though so I am sorry but I can't give you the name unfortunately. But I am sure your dr will.

Moisturizing is the name of my game right now! I will ask a different doc, my current one just basically said use CeraVe... don't think that is going to clear it all up! Thanks for your advice!!