6 replies to this topic

[Miss_Alice]

Don't pick at it!

Every time I hear that advice I always nod my agreement. But when you have a big hard cyst close to the surface, a black head or a red clogged pore, getting out the sterilised needles and cotton buds is automatic. And let's face it, very satisfying! The moment the makeup comes out, so does the rediculous self-scrutiny.

Sometimes I wonder just how much of my acne is self-inflicted by over-studying my skin after years of teen acne making me paranoid. Now as an adult, spot picking has become a fine art, and conducted like some sort of surgery. Can I leave it alone for a week? NO! A couple of days, just barely. Then I start to notice a roughness, or hormonal nodules, all begging to scrubbed, lifted, pricked and pressed from my face. Sometimes I get carried away with exfoliating perceived bobbly texture, and just a few seconds of scrubbing too much, and I’ve scorched my skin and set myself up for another week or two or inflamed scaly patches, clustered white heads and cystic spots.

Almost like self-harming, I’m sure my skin would look much better if I could just stop obsessing over the imperfections. Of course there are the genuine big boil-like bumps that like to pop up, usually on a monthly cycle I can set my watch to. But what about the trillion other little spots I surely draw attention to myself by poking, abrasion, buffing and pricking.
Do you ever find yourself so close to the mirror, you step back and wonder what on earth you’re doing? Isn’t that one big spot bad enough, so why am I making a surgery out of a half dozen blocked pores that I expect no-one else would ever have noticed!?

[xgirl]

yep, totally know what you mean. Join us in the skin picking forum (under emotional effects of acne). Some of us are trying a 100 day challenge, others are trying 11 days.

You can do it. If I can, I feel like ANYONE can. That's how big my picking OCD is. I picked a bit earlier, was able to stop myself, and managed to get past it without damaging my skin. Every day is a struggle, but it will get easier.

And yes, I totally know what you mean about whether your acne would even be as bad if you didn't pick. Since I made the effort to stop picking 6 weeks ago, my skin is SO much better. I have pics on here somewhere to show progress.

good luck!

[cvd]

What helped me was to do an "experiment" of following some "rules" (below) for 3 days and then seeing how my skin looked. This gave me encouragement to try for more days, etc. Now I follow my rules everyday and have been able to determine what my skin looks like when not irritated by picking. It takes about a month for skin to normalize out. Mine's a 100% better looking! I keep my rules posted inside my bathroom cubboard.

RULES:
It's okay to prick a whitehead on top of a raised red bump with a sterilized needle. Apply little if any pressure (pressure spreads infection).
It's okay to pick off skin that's already flaking off. Use tweezer and not fingers.
Wash skin gently with fingertips to a count of 10 and rinse with lukewarm water. No rubbing.
No rubbing - no exfoliating. It's a women's magazine myth that skin needs to be exfoliated.

My derm advised me to do this:
When first looking in mirror stand an arm's length away and close eyes. Open eyes slowly to see whole face...this is how others see you! If you can't see whitehead on red bump at this length then don't prick it because it will heal normally and noone else sees it.

Hope this helps.

[readytosmileagain]

Check out my newest post - see my photos of my scars, then you will see exactly why you shoul not pick your face. Do everything you can to stop picking - trust me its worth it!! Do one of those challenges, it would be a great starting off point
Best of luck

[Miss_Alice]

I went through a whole phase a few years back where I stopped touching my skin while backpacking, simply because I was out in Africa and there were no luxory bathrooms with mirrors. So I just didnt look. When I got home months later, my skin really did look so much better. I think I might remove a few mirrors around the house, try the tricks you all mention, and stop worrying so much about the people at University who all are forced to sit very very close to each other in cramped lecture threatres. This Im sure is why I am obsessed with my skin so close up.

[kiaora]

Don't pick at it!

Every time I hear that advice I always nod my agreement. But when you have a big hard cyst close to the surface, a black head or a red clogged pore, getting out the sterilised needles and cotton buds is automatic. And let's face it, very satisfying! The moment the makeup comes out, so does the rediculous self-scrutiny.

Sometimes I wonder just how much of my acne is self-inflicted by over-studying my skin after years of teen acne making me paranoid. Now as an adult, spot picking has become a fine art, and conducted like some sort of surgery. Can I leave it alone for a week? NO! A couple of days, just barely. Then I start to notice a roughness, or hormonal nodules, all begging to scrubbed, lifted, pricked and pressed from my face. Sometimes I get carried away with exfoliating perceived bobbly texture, and just a few seconds of scrubbing too much, and I’ve scorched my skin and set myself up for another week or two or inflamed scaly patches, clustered white heads and cystic spots.

Almost like self-harming, I’m sure my skin would look much better if I could just stop obsessing over the imperfections. Of course there are the genuine big boil-like bumps that like to pop up, usually on a monthly cycle I can set my watch to. But what about the trillion other little spots I surely draw attention to myself by poking, abrasion, buffing and pricking.
Do you ever find yourself so close to the mirror, you step back and wonder what on earth you’re doing? Isn’t that one big spot bad enough, so why am I making a surgery out of a half dozen blocked pores that I expect no-one else would ever have noticed!?

Very recognizable!
I am making progress in quitting. I use the blackheads and tiny clogged pores under the skin alone now. Whiteheads I still have to pick at.

Edited by kiaora, 05 March 2011 - 10:33 AM.

[theonlyexception]

`

Edited by theonlyexception, 17 March 2011 - 01:01 AM.