44 replies to this topic

[09alisa]

I pick my acne. I pick the skin around my nails. I pick off the first layer on my lips. I'm sick of it all, and I need to stop. I hate when I do it and I always feel guilty after. Yesterday I didn't do any picking. I can't say the same for today. I find my hands going on my face, and I just feel the bumps. And then I start picking off dry flakes, or squeezing my zits. I'll be on the computer and one hand is on my face. It's so bad.

I've tried so many times to quit, but I can't. I need help, and any advice if you have any. I'll try anything.

*EDIT - I'm just looking for advice and help to stop picking. Acne Security already helped me with my routine, and it seems to be working so far.

Edited by 09alisa, 13 May 2011 - 10:12 AM.

[pokemonster]

when ur at pc, deff wear gloves (at least on free hand) so that whenever u touch skin subconsciously ull feel gloves n will stop yourself. also make calender of amount of days that u wanna be your goal to achieve (increase days as u go all the time and if u pick start all over, or kinda like that) and check every day that u didnt pick, be very determined about whole thing and avoid mirrors as much as u can, as well as activities, stress causes that cause u to pick (for me fe, ikno that if i ate junk or sugary foods, at evening there will be big tempatation to pick face n it will be hardly controllable so if its similar to u consider cutting those out (they also cause acne anywayz) or at least limit or at least make sure u dont eat them late or evening). also theres that stoppickingonme site (google it), check it out. good luck!

[xgirl]

you could try a behavioral psychologist if you don't think you can control it on your own. I was THISCLOSE to needing one, then finally woke up one day in the mindframe that I could do this on my own. Granted, I DO still pick. Haven't gone a whole day without messing with something, but I am SOOOOO much better. There are probably 50 bumps on my face that I could pick at, if I let myself. But I'm leaving most of it alone

if you think you can get a handle on it and are SICK OF IT, I would suggest keeping your hands busy. catch your hand before it gets to your face. Tell yourself (outloud if you have to) that you do NOT get to pick (especially when you're in the mirror).

it's hard, I know, but you can do it. You just have to get to that place where you have had ENOUGH. we're all here to support you. How about instead of picking, come here and post about it. Redirect that energy.

GL!

[09alisa]

I can't seem to do it. I will be okay for while, and then it's like I just have to. I don't know what to do. I'm so sick of it. My face looks awful right now. I would give anything for clear skin. I talked to my best friend about it today. He tries to help, and I know his intentions are good, but he just doesn't get it. He thinks it's so easy, and just says to not think about it. Well it usually happens when I'm not thinking about it. I don't go in the mirror and pop zits anymore. I haven't done that for a while. It's totally subconscious now. I don't even realize I'm doing it, until it's too late. I just wish he would understand.

Edited by 09alisa, 06 May 2011 - 12:56 PM.

[09alisa]

Well, here goes. I'm going to post some pics of how extremely bad my face is right now. Maybe then I can actually do something about it. I know my face is gross. Feel free to tell me. Haha. Maybe it will motivate me. Who knows, right.

Edited by 09alisa, 19 March 2011 - 04:54 PM.

[xgirl]

hugs Alisa. Look at it this way-- this is the worst your face will EVER be again, because you're making a big step towards no more picking. I truly believe that "before" pics are vital in seeing your progress. When you see yourself every day and make progress you don't notice it unless you can compare to Day 1. You probably will have times when you are stressed or bored and you will pick. But open your photos, look at them, and tell yourself "THIS IS IT, NO MORE PICKING". Seriously, you can do it. I didn't think I could. And I'm not perfect. I popped a zit on my chin today and tried to extract two bumps. Then I stopped and walked away. Two months ago I would have poked/picked/squeezed 20. Today was only 3. That is progress. And, progress shows when you take pictures often.

Make small goals. Try to go five days this week. Then take new photos. You will see less redness, less irritation, a more calm complexion. Then go another 5, then another. If you have a setback, keep going. No need to start back on Day 1, that will just discourage you. Just tell yourself "damnit, I picked, but this is IT for today" and move on.

I am trying ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL kinds of things to clear up my skin. If you wanna talk about it, PM me. I'd be happy to be your cheerleader. I wish I had had that help 2 months ago

more HUGS!

[09alisa]

hugs Alisa. Look at it this way-- this is the worst your face will EVER be again, because you're making a big step towards no more picking. I truly believe that "before" pics are vital in seeing your progress. When you see yourself every day and make progress you don't notice it unless you can compare to Day 1. You probably will have times when you are stressed or bored and you will pick. But open your photos, look at them, and tell yourself "THIS IS IT, NO MORE PICKING". Seriously, you can do it. I didn't think I could. And I'm not perfect. I popped a zit on my chin today and tried to extract two bumps. Then I stopped and walked away. Two months ago I would have poked/picked/squeezed 20. Today was only 3. That is progress. And, progress shows when you take pictures often.

Make small goals. Try to go five days this week. Then take new photos. You will see less redness, less irritation, a more calm complexion. Then go another 5, then another. If you have a setback, keep going. No need to start back on Day 1, that will just discourage you. Just tell yourself "damnit, I picked, but this is IT for today" and move on.

I am trying ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL kinds of things to clear up my skin. If you wanna talk about it, PM me. I'd be happy to be your cheerleader. I wish I had had that help 2 months ago

more HUGS!

Thank you. You just made me cry a little bit. I hope you're right and this is the worst. I need all the support I can get so thank you again. :] This is my mission, and I'm not going to fail or give up this time. This is it. NO MORE!

[09alisa]

Well, today was a setback. I can't say that I've went cold turkey at all yet, but I think that's near impossible. I have been picking, but just a few times and for not long at all...until tonight.I went in the mirror and just picked away. I haven't done that for a long time. I just wish there was an easy cure for this. I had this dream about this magic drug the other day. Haha. How lame am I, right. But it cured my acne so fast. Then I obviously had nothing to pick at. I had perfect skin, and I am the complete opposite right now. My face is pretty bad as you can tell. But I'm not giving up. Just figured I'd talk about it on here, and maybe it will help.

[xgirl]

Well, today was a setback. I can't say that I've went cold turkey at all yet, but I think that's near impossible. I have been picking, but just a few times and for not long at all...until tonight.I went in the mirror and just picked away. I haven't done that for a long time. I just wish there was an easy cure for this. I had this dream about this magic drug the other day. Haha. How lame am I, right. But it cured my acne so fast. Then I obviously had nothing to pick at. I had perfect skin, and I am the complete opposite right now. My face is pretty bad as you can tell. But I'm not giving up. Just figured I'd talk about it on here, and maybe it will help.

I learned that when I stopped picking, my acne stopped too. I was the cause of my acne. My hands, even though I washed them often, did this to me. My skin isn't perfect now, but it's soooooooooooooooooo much better. I still fight to leave ripe pimples alone and I usually fail, but at least it not 50 active zits at a time now. It's just one here and there.

Pick yourself up-- yesterday was a bad day. Try again today. Try to go one full day.

One thing that helped me was to dab masks onto my zits (when I'm at home obviously). When the mask dries, it makes a tactile barrier. If I reach for a zit that I KNOW is there, because let's face it-- I know exactly where they are), I stop myself when my hand bumps into the bumpy mask. Try it (I recommend any mask that dries hard on your face. I like Queen Helene Mint Julep mask from Walgreens).

keep your fingers busy-- post whenever you wanna pick!

[09alisa]

I think it's really bad right now, because I am so stressed out with college. I have so much to do, and so little time. And I think I take my stress out on my face. If I pick, I don't have to think about everything I should be doing instead. I'm sitting here attempting to do homework on a Friday night. It doesn't get any more pathetic than that. But this is my usual. Nursing school is hard, and plus I never was the party girl.

But on the plus side, it's just really my acne that I pick at a lot. I pick the skin around my fingernails ever now and again, but it's nowhere as near as my acne. The lip biting is only on the rare occasion. I just wish I could say the same about my acne picking.

And I was actually looking up masks and discovered that one, so thank you! I haven't gotten it yet, but I will soon.

Is there any skin pickers who don't pick at all anymore, and have nice skin?It would be nice to hear a complete success story.

[09alisa]

Well, it's been 12 days since I last posted pics. Not sure if I'm doing better or worse, but I have been picking less. I'm still picked, but I'm more aware of when I do it now, which is good. I'm trying hard to stop. We'll see what happens. Wish me luck!

And feel free to tell me about your story. I'm a good listener. :]


EDIT- If you want to see pics, check out my album.

Edited by 09alisa, 17 May 2011 - 10:37 AM.

[overwasher]

Hey alisa

I just looked at your before and after shots 12 days later and i can definetly see an improvement!

Keep in mind it takes time and i use to be on proactiv so i thought yeah going on the regime will clear me up in no time!

Big mistake
- i rushed into it going 3 pumps
- i picked

2 months later now im starting to improve!! the main issue is NO PICKING... picking gets u no where even with the best treatments / diet / laser treatments .. if your still picking with ur dirty nails or irritating the shit out of ur face constantly then the previous treatments will have little effect AND what takes 2-3 months to heal may take 6-12 months to heal + scars.

Anyway good luck and stick with it! it would definetly pay off

[LoLo83]

Well, it's been 12 days since I last posted pics. Not sure if I'm doing better or worse, but I have been picking less. I'm still picked, but I'm more aware of when I do it now, which is good. I'm trying hard to stop. We'll see what happens. Wish me luck!

And feel free to tell me about your story. I'm a good listener. :]

Hey Alisa

How are you getting on with this now? I'm trying too and finding it sooooo difficult!

[09alisa]

I'm still struggling, and I still pick. It's not what I want, but I'm improving. I'm not sure if it shows on my face, but I find myself wanting to pick less. I've been talking pictures every week and you can go see in my album if you want. There is no real drastic change.

I still haven't found the thing that will make me stop. Sometimes I'll play with silly puddy and that seems to help a bit. But then I put it down, and my hands are back on my face. It sucks, but I'm learning to deal with it. I'm not going to just up and stop one day. It's a gradual process, and I'm really trying.

How are you doing? Tell me what works for you and what doesn't. Maybe we can help each other out.

Good luck. You can do it, and so can I! :]

[LoLo83]

I'm still struggling, and I still pick. It's not what I want, but I'm improving. I'm not sure if it shows on my face, but I find myself wanting to pick less. I've been talking pictures every week and you can go see in my album if you want. There is no real drastic change.

I still haven't found the thing that will make me stop. Sometimes I'll play with silly puddy and that seems to help a bit. But then I put it down, and my hands are back on my face. It sucks, but I'm learning to deal with it. I'm not going to just up and stop one day. It's a gradual process, and I'm really trying.

How are you doing? Tell me what works for you and what doesn't. Maybe we can help each other out.

Good luck. You can do it, and so can I! :]

I think you can definitely notice a real difference in the pictures above!!

At the minute I'm reading through an e-book on www.stoppickingonme.com. Have you heard of/read it before? It's quite long but the more I'm reading the more I think I'm beginning to understand the compulsions that affect me (I also have a really bad problem with chewing on the insides of my mouth). I can 100% say that my issues are caused by anxiety and things went really downhill after an upsetting break up. So I guess to be able to stop the picking I need to deal with all the underlying issues which is hard.

At the moment I'm sitting here with big blobs of sudocrem (I'm in the UK so I don't know what the equivalent in the States is, but it's a thick white antiseptic cream) on all my worst areas and that has stopped me picking in the meantime. I did have a minor picking session earlier on which got me down for a while, but I'm realising that I can only really think of this as a minute by minute thing as I know, like you say, it's not goning to be as easy as saying I will never do it again. All I am hoping for right now is something small like if tomorrow I don't pick that would be amazing.I read somewhere that it takes 6 weeks to break a bad habit and to me that seems like such a long way off!!

[09alisa]

Yeah, I've read it, and like yourself, I did realize what the underlying cause is. It's something that's affected my life greatly and I never thought it could be a reason I pick too. I'm sorry for being so vague, but it's not something I'm comfortable talking about on here. I agree 100% that it is hard. Sometimes I have my really bad days where I say screw it, and I pick. And then I have my days where I don't even pick at all.

People think it's so easy. I've been told, "Just don't pick" before. I wish it were that simple, and they clearly don't understand. I think it's a control issue with me. It's the one thing that I have absolute control over and I'm not too sure how to stop. I've gotten advice on here, and nothing seems to help. I mean sure, I am picking less. But I'm still picking.

Sometimes I just think about waking up with no acne. I mean nothing. Then I would have nothing to pick at, but then I realize how unrealistic that is. I played basketball in my high school and he used to say that it takes 30 days to make or break a habit. That's a little less than what you heard, but I think it's different for each person.

We can do it though. I'm here whenever you wanna talk about it. It helps so much to talk about it with someone who knows what you're going through. I'm best friends with this guy and we talk about everything, even this. But I think it's impossible to understand how I feel if you haven't gone through the same thing. He's a great guy and I love him to death, but he's clueless. haha. :]

[Acne Security]

Your face is not gross and you look beautiful. Keeping putting all of your will into this, and always use this board for support. Just remind yourself you owe it to your beauty not to pick and hinder it. Good luck

[09alisa]

Your face is not gross and you look beautiful. Keeping putting all of your will into this, and always use this board for support. Just remind yourself you owe it to your beauty not to pick and hinder it. Good luck

Thank you. I don't agree with you on the first part, but it's still nice to hear.

I'm trying my best. We'll see how things go once this year of college is done. The stress isn't helping my acne. Also, my acne is usually clearer in the summer. Maybe due to sunlight or less stress, but I'm not sure.

[Acne Security]

Your face is not gross and you look beautiful. Keeping putting all of your will into this, and always use this board for support. Just remind yourself you owe it to your beauty not to pick and hinder it. Good luck

Thank you. I don't agree with you on the first part, but it's still nice to hear.

I'm trying my best. We'll see how things go once this year of college is done. The stress isn't helping my acne. Also, my acne is usually clearer in the summer. Maybe due to sunlight or less stress, but I'm not sure.

I came up with this idea for my friend who had a picking problem - now whenever hes at home he keeps a pack of oil absorbing sheets near by(clean and clear or drugstore brand), and when necessary keeps a sheet in his hand. When he has the urge to pick just blots his face with the sheet - helps with oil control and stops him from picking. Just a suggestion try it out (they are addicting though)
gl prettyyyy girl

Edited by Acne Security, 14 April 2011 - 10:25 PM.

[09alisa]

Your face is not gross and you look beautiful. Keeping putting all of your will into this, and always use this board for support. Just remind yourself you owe it to your beauty not to pick and hinder it. Good luck

Thank you. I don't agree with you on the first part, but it's still nice to hear.

I'm trying my best. We'll see how things go once this year of college is done. The stress isn't helping my acne. Also, my acne is usually clearer in the summer. Maybe due to sunlight or less stress, but I'm not sure.

I came up with this idea for my friend who had a picking problem - now whenever hes at home he keeps a pack of oil absorbing sheets near by(clean and clear or drugstore brand), and when necessary keeps a sheet in his hand. When he has the urge to pick just blots his face with the sheet - helps with oil control and stops him from picking. Just a suggestion try it out (they are addicting though)
gl prettyyyy girl

I actually have some of those. I would use them after working out. The disappeared, but I should find them and try this.

Right now is bad for me. I just took an exam and didn't do hot on it. Now I'm stressing and I find my fingers going to my face. I'm not even picking either, just feeling. I figure that I can keep both hands busy if I type so I'm going to, until I run out of words.

Why is it to hard? I thought my face was getting better until I went in the bathroom before class today. This bathroom must have been the brightest bathroom ever, which didn't help m case. I looked in the mirror and was just disappointed. I thought I was making progress, even a little bit. I guess not. It just sucks. Well, that's all I have for right now.