Today I am going to start the "Chill out program". I have very clear skin, but the fact that I pick at it tears it up! If I feel a clogged pore, or a zit starting to form, I go to the mirror and try to push everything possible out of that pore. This makes my skin scar, inflames the blemish, and creates more breakouts. I hate it so much, and am so embarrassed of it! I would love to be able to go out wearing less foundation on my face, but I can't because I am so self conscious of my skin. I know when I quit picking my skin, my face clears up dramatically. I know this message board hasn't been very active lately, but hopefully there are some people out there that I can get some support from!
there are a ton of good ideas on here to help stop picking. i'll list some of them for you.
-put a note on your mirror saying something to force you to stop picking. or have someone who loves you write a note for you, making you promise them as well as yourself to STOP
-put a piece of tape on the floor about a foot away from the mirror, so you cannot go any closer to the mirror
-change the lighting in the bathroom if you have very bright lights
-pee in the dark! so you're not tempted to check yourself
take deep breaths when you have the urge. make fists at your sides and try to calm down. post on here or talk to somebody about it. read other people's posts about it. make a challenge for yourself. say you won't pick for 30 days and see how far you can go.
hope this helps!!
I have the same issue as do many.
I've tried a ton of things I always have times where my skin look sooo horrible it looks like i have severe acne because all the scabs.
Right now it looks like my entire forehead is covered in acne but alot of it is new scars,new pimples and a ton that i popped and have scabbed over.
Iv'e been trying to tell myself i would rather have a small smooth pimple which is easy to hide then to have a huge dark gross scab which is almost impossible to cover up.
I just ordered my selff a stress ball and some stress toys and i plan to always have one with me we'll see if that will help me or not.
I feel you, this is a serious problem which is hard to quite.
those tips sound really good @whatthekell. i haven't tried peeing in the dark, having a loved one write a note, or only getting so close to the mirror.. i think those might really help me! i was doing pretty good yesterday, but then when i got home super late from work (i'm a bartender) i just totally dug into my skin! it was horrible and i'm so upset about it. my face has red marks all over it today because of that. if i could go just 1 week with out picking i would be ecstatic! @becc you are totally right about telling yourself you'd rather have a small smooth pimple then a huge dark scab...i do that sometimes too and i completely agree!! soooo far i haven't picked my skin at all today, let's see if i can make it 24 hours!!
Hey Heidi - I am very new to the chill out program, too. it's a rough go, for sure. I know *exactly* what you mean about digging for the most miniscule bumps and squeezing the life out of them. it S U C K S & it's time to S T O P! amiright?!
one of my triggers is running my hands along my skin and feeling around for bumps. i'll find one (or several) and then get in front of a mirror as soon as possible to pick and squeeze it. if this is anything you deal with, my best advice is do not touch your face at all. as soon as you find a bump, you are asking for trouble!
that being said, this is a long term struggle & i wish you the best! we are lucky to have this support system.
I need help!! Picking my face is controlling my life...what I do...I ruin my skin... I feel depressed because of what I look like but I am the one causing it! Ive tried to stop and will do good for maybe 2 days!! Thats it!! Ive tried covering my mirror, gloves, notes,...its so hard. I get a relief from picking..I will do it for hours not realizing the time that goes by...I dont know what to do anymore.
Yep honestly picking is my number one problem dealing with my acne 8 years worth of scarring from picking my acne spots every single day. I think picking is a stress reliever for me it calms me down i don't only pick my face but hang nails, and ingrown hairs anything i can really. I think its like ocd for me now to pick at something even if it gets all bloody and gross. Its going to be hard to break this habit but i'll try for the sake of my face and preventing even more scars. There is not one space of clear normal skin on my face its all covered in scars so thats why i pick sometimes telling myself its okay cuz I've caused so many scars already another one wont be that bad then i pick. But i'll try this challenge hopefully it'll work haha
To make a long story short... ive picked my skin for soooo long, sometimes ive been unaware of it. And recently i stopped, a good 2 weeks ago and ive noticed something, where ever i lay my hand on my face i WILL get a pimple within a cm of that area, so everytime i think or try to lay my hands on my face for picking or any other activity, i will slap the front of my hands well hard, so that i teach my brain that if i pick my face something will hurt me if that makes any sense.. oh well just though i would share my current strategy.
Good luck
I hate it to! Before I had my daughter I had money for myself so I would get acrylic nails And I would ask my nail lady to file them so they where smooth.... It is SO hard to pick with smooth fake nails, sometimes even frustrating. I had a great complexion. I will go Back to nails when I have more time to myself. Good luck 
