Good luck! I made the decision to stop picking my face a few years back and it's the best thing I have ever done for my acne. When I get a spot, I simply leave it and it usually goes away without a mark.

When I was a picker, I used to have tons of red marks, and healing wounds from where I'd literally just squeezed the crap out of them. That often lead to the bacteria spreading and further breakouts.

Hope it goes well!

I'm right there with you! (I also sit in the sink to pick)

Wishing you lots of luck! You seem driven and motivated so I'm sure you'll have success. I don't pick much but sometimes I'll see a blackhead or something noticeable on my nose and it drives me so crazy that I can't help but pick at it and obsess over it. Definitely a no-no! Takes a lot of willpower to not do it and I think keeping a log will be a cool way keep from being tempted

Good luck! I made the decision to stop picking my face a few years back and it's the best thing I have ever done for my acne. When I get a spot, I simply leave it and it usually goes away without a mark.

When I was a picker, I used to have tons of red marks, and healing wounds from where I'd literally just squeezed the crap out of them. That often lead to the bacteria spreading and further breakouts.

Hope it goes well!

Yeah, you'll see all my red marks in the pictures that I post. It's actually a refreshing feeling NOT touching my face, so I'm excited to see the results. And if I don't see many results, at least I'll feel better

I'm right there with you! (I also sit in the sink to pick)

Glad I'm not the only one...I literally sat on the sink the other day and said "DO NOT PICK. THIS IS A TEST." That was a fail. That situation is the reason for all my red marks.

Wishing you lots of luck! You seem driven and motivated so I'm sure you'll have success. I don't pick much but sometimes I'll see a blackhead or something noticeable on my nose and it drives me so crazy that I can't help but pick at it and obsess over it. Definitely a no-no! Takes a lot of willpower to not do it and I think keeping a log will be a cool way keep from being tempted

Thanks Flagg! I wish I could say that I don't pick often! The log will definitely add some accountability. Unfortunately, makeup exists...so I'm used to covering up any picking that I do. I'll make sure not to use makeup as an excuse. Thanks for the encouragement!

Day 2: Red marks persist. However, I ONLY picked at some things on my forehead. I know...lame...but better than usual.

Picture time!

Hey, good luck with this...I'm trying to stop picking too but lord knows it's so tempting and I'm so good at covering it afterwards that I feel like I've hidden the damage! I know the feeling when your skin clears somewhat but you still manage to find stuff to pick. Made me laugh about sitting on your sink though - if I did that my sink would definitely break! Also try looking at thatwillnotfly's blog, she is having a lot of success stopping picking which is giving me some inspiration that it's actually possible!

One thing that is slightly helping me is my netball season has just started up again and knowing that once a week I'm out in public without makeup (would just sweat it off) is making me think twice because I know I won't be able to cover it...although I really wanted to pull out of a match this week because I've gone to town on my forehead! Keep up the log...will be good to share tips and help each other along - especially with all the negative/ insulting posting going on at the minute!

Hey, good luck with this...I'm trying to stop picking too but lord knows it's so tempting and I'm so good at covering it afterwards that I feel like I've hidden the damage! I know the feeling when your skin clears somewhat but you still manage to find stuff to pick. Made me laugh about sitting on your sink though - if I did that my sink would definitely break! Also try looking at thatwillnotfly's blog, she is having a lot of success stopping picking which is giving me some inspiration that it's actually possible!

One thing that is slightly helping me is my netball season has just started up again and knowing that once a week I'm out in public without makeup (would just sweat it off) is making me think twice because I know I won't be able to cover it...although I really wanted to pull out of a match this week because I've gone to town on my forehead! Keep up the log...will be good to share tips and help each other along - especially with all the negative/ insulting posting going on at the minute!

I'm too good at covering it, too! People literally do not believe me when I say that I have acne.

I'll have to take a look at that blog you mentioned-- I'll do anything for motivation!

Is netball like basketball? Don't cancel! You might regret it, or your team might lose because their star player isn't there! But yeah, it used to freak me out to exercise because I was afraid of my makeup falling off. But for some reason, my makeup has been staying in place really well lately. Must be the new makeup I'm using. Yay!

I have no choice but to keep up with this log. If I don't...I'll just keep ruining my skin and I really can't bear to do that anymore to myself. Expect daily (almost) posts! And keep up with me if you'd like! Post your progress here, as well!

WELP....ehhhh

Looks like I did a little picking this morning. DAMNIT.

Good news is that I didn't pick until I ruined my face completely. I picked two little bitty whiteheads. For some reason...in my head it's "okay" to pick at visible whiteheads and "okay" to pick at dried up, hanging off skin. I don't think I should be okay with the whiteheads. I should just leave them alone. But it's so hard. I honestly don't know how to just leave them alone. Especially when it's in the morning and I know that I'll have to see people.

So the first whitehead was because I also picked last night I picked at an under-the-skin type of bump that was pretty much nothing until I touched it. It appeared in the first place because I had been picking! And turned into a whitehead after I messed with it. Ah, the never-ending cycle. The other little whitehead between my nose and mouth (WORST PLACE EVER) was because I used a cloth that was in my car after my run to wipe off my sweat. I'm not sure how clean the cloth was. That's gross, I'm sorry. I was desperate and disgustingly sweaty (running in Tennessee in the super hot sun is going to make you sweat, dangit!) and I had to go into the grocery store to buy some lemons.

This is difficult. But I'm already better. The right side of my face is actually VERY smooth and pretty already.

Today's goal: Tonight, remove makeup. Apply nightly routine. Go to sleep. Don't look in the mirror. Keep the lights dim (but not off because dark bathrooms are terrifying!)

I need to do this!

The last few days have been terrible skin-wise for me! My skin is the worst it's been in a few months... and whenever my skin gets worse/more breakouts I find it's a lot harder for me to just leave it alone and to not pick! It's like my thinking reverts to not knowing anything about acne and the idea that picking at it will physically remove it but it really does just make things worse. And it can become like a compulsion for me too. So I've been picking and messing with my skin a lot lately

Earlier this year (i think - might have been late last year) I managed to stop picking for a few months and it helped my skin quite a bit! I used to get a few large spots in the exact same spot on my cheek and I always used to pick at them which was stupid as they never got to heal completely on their own so they would flare up again and again - until I managed to stop picking and let them heal on their own. Now I haven't had acne in that specific spot since then. (I still have acne everywhere else... but why not celebrate little victories )

I like your idea of using a timer to limit bathroom / mirror time. I'll have to try that. And I'll have to make sure to keep my distance from the mirror too.

Another thing that helped me was keeping my nails short or taking time (when I can) to paint them - it occupies your hands for a while and then I found I didn't want to mess up or chip my nails, once they were done, by picking (sounds silly but it helped me a little).

So I guess starting tomorrow I'll try and be kinder and gentler to my skin by not picking.

You're right, it is difficult - but stick at it - you can do it! Just think how much more lovely your skin will be once you can stop picking

Good luck heitea!

I never could control myself when it came to picking my face.

I even wanted to cut my finger nails off so I would not even think about putting them on my face.

My sister actually gave me the idea of putting bandages on my fingers. To my surprise it worked!

Normally you would put bandages to stop biting your nails but the way my fingers (with the bandages) felt on my face just did not feel "good" and after doing this for a month I found that I lost my habit and my face cleared up pretty good.

Might sound a bit odd but just giving you an idea in case your picking habit becomes harder to control

Good Luck!

WELP....ehhhh

Looks like I did a little picking this morning. DAMNIT.

Good news is that I didn't pick until I ruined my face completely. I picked two little bitty whiteheads. For some reason...in my head it's "okay" to pick at visible whiteheads and "okay" to pick at dried up, hanging off skin. I don't think I should be okay with the whiteheads. I should just leave them alone. But it's so hard. I honestly don't know how to just leave them alone. Especially when it's in the morning and I know that I'll have to see people.

So the first whitehead was because I also picked last night I picked at an under-the-skin type of bump that was pretty much nothing until I touched it. It appeared in the first place because I had been picking! And turned into a whitehead after I messed with it. Ah, the never-ending cycle. The other little whitehead between my nose and mouth (WORST PLACE EVER) was because I used a cloth that was in my car after my run to wipe off my sweat. I'm not sure how clean the cloth was. That's gross, I'm sorry. I was desperate and disgustingly sweaty (running in Tennessee in the super hot sun is going to make you sweat, dangit!) and I had to go into the grocery store to buy some lemons.

This is difficult. But I'm already better. The right side of my face is actually VERY smooth and pretty already.

Today's goal: Tonight, remove makeup. Apply nightly routine. Go to sleep. Don't look in the mirror. Keep the lights dim (but not off because dark bathrooms are terrifying!)

I need to do this!

The last few days have been terrible skin-wise for me! My skin is the worst it's been in a few months... and whenever my skin gets worse/more breakouts I find it's a lot harder for me to just leave it alone and to not pick! It's like my thinking reverts to not knowing anything about acne and the idea that picking at it will physically remove it but it really does just make things worse. And it can become like a compulsion for me too. So I've been picking and messing with my skin a lot lately

Earlier this year (i think - might have been late last year) I managed to stop picking for a few months and it helped my skin quite a bit! I used to get a few large spots in the exact same spot on my cheek and I always used to pick at them which was stupid as they never got to heal completely on their own so they would flare up again and again - until I managed to stop picking and let them heal on their own. Now I haven't had acne in that specific spot since then. (I still have acne everywhere else... but why not celebrate little victories )

I like your idea of using a timer to limit bathroom / mirror time. I'll have to try that. And I'll have to make sure to keep my distance from the mirror too.

Another thing that helped me was keeping my nails short or taking time (when I can) to paint them - it occupies your hands for a while and then I found I didn't want to mess up or chip my nails, once they were done, by picking (sounds silly but it helped me a little).

So I guess starting tomorrow I'll try and be kinder and gentler to my skin by not picking.

You're right, it is difficult - but stick at it - you can do it! Just think how much more lovely your skin will be once you can stop picking

Good luck heitea!

It definitely becomes a compulsion for me. For example, today I was thinking so much that I would NOT pick at a spot on my face....and of course...because I was thinking about it so much, I ended up picking at it.

I need to actually DO my challenge....it's so difficult to just leave a zit there and not pick at it! I don't know why I can't stop myself!

I never could control myself when it came to picking my face.

I even wanted to cut my finger nails off so I would not even think about putting them on my face.

My sister actually gave me the idea of putting bandages on my fingers. To my surprise it worked!

Normally you would put bandages to stop biting your nails but the way my fingers (with the bandages) felt on my face just did not feel "good" and after doing this for a month I found that I lost my habit and my face cleared up pretty good.

Might sound a bit odd but just giving you an idea in case your picking habit becomes harder to control

Good Luck!

I actually really like this idea. Except..it would waste a lot of band-aids. haha Maybe I'll keep a tape dispenser in my bathroom? I only pick when I'm in the bathroom so if I tape my fingers after I wash my face, maybe it'll work the same way. At this point, I'm fairly desperate.

Hey, glad to hear you've kept the picking to a minimum...yeah netball is kinda similar to basketball, I ended up going on wednesday and felt so much better for it!

Coincidently, I had two small whiteheads I picked the other day and they don't even need covering now because they are so unnoticeable...and that's the problem it's so justifiable when it's a tiny whitehead that will go away as soon as you pick it...almost like getting temporary amnesia about all the times it didn't go away and got much worse!

On a positive note, it's good you only pick in the bathroom - although it's a pain because you can't exactly avoid that room entirely, it's also good because some non-picking techniques will work better/ be more realistic if you're only doing it in one room: covering the mirror completely with a sheet or something, putting pictures of your skin post-picking on the mirror, stick some post-its to the mirror with statements like 'picking will only make it worse'/ 'picking could lead to scarring'. Don't know if any of these would work for you but I definitely wasn't going to do those in every room in the house!

Plus if the timer method is working then try making it shorter until you literally only have time to do your business and get out of there!

Well done on reducing your picking! It's not easy...

Today I noticed a blackhead (which I don't get often) on my ear and I squeezed and squeezed until it popped out. Really regret it now...haven't picked for years. And yesterday I popped 2 small whiteheads because I got frustrated with my skin.

I find it really hard to just not pick or mess with my skin too. I really want to leave it alone but I just can't! It's frustrating...

I'm more conscious of it now so I've reduced how much I am doing it but I only managed one day of no touching/picking at all. I've realised it's worse when I'm studying alone at home - like if I'm catching up on a lecture I missed by watching it online, I end up absentmindedly messing with my skin without meaning to...

Oh well - I'll keep on trying.

I really appreciate everyone's replies on this!

It seems my skin decided to really freak out in the past week or so. My goodness...I feel so uncomfortable. I went camping for the weekend and pretty much thought about my skin the whole time.

I want so badly not to pick at my skin. SO BADLY. I just don't know why I can't do it. My willpower is lacking for some reason.

I haven't posted another picture on my "picture challenge" because I'm ashamed at the fact that I've picked more than I have in a long time. I actually have active acne right now...more than I've had in a year or so. It's distressing, to say the least. I need it to go away before the music festival that I'm attending in about 2 1/2 weeks. I'll be eating as healthy as possible and treating my skin in a gentle way until then. It's when I go berserk on my skin, does it freak out in retaliation.

Restart button. Day 1.

Ah I know what you mean sometimes it feels like you can't think about anything else but your skin...on the plus side at least you went camping in spite of how you were feeling yeah that's why I never post pictures on here it's too demoralising for me!

Now you have something to aim towards, like stopping picking before the festival does it usually help you? I find that when I know I've got a big event I'll manage not picking and then BAM the day after (sometimes even when I get home from the event) I'll go straight to the mirror and pick out all the stuff that's been taunting me for days/ weeks. Just wondered if anyone else had this kind of restraint which ends up becoming a massive fail?

Ah I know what you mean sometimes it feels like you can't think about anything else but your skin...on the plus side at least you went camping in spite of how you were feeling yeah that's why I never post pictures on here it's too demoralising for me!

Now you have something to aim towards, like stopping picking before the festival does it usually help you? I find that when I know I've got a big event I'll manage not picking and then BAM the day after (sometimes even when I get home from the event) I'll go straight to the mirror and pick out all the stuff that's been taunting me for days/ weeks. Just wondered if anyone else had this kind of restraint which ends up becoming a massive fail?

Yes, having something to aim towards is super helpful! I'm also trying to tone up before the festival, so having that goal in mind is also helping me "diet" (just eating healthy-- no weird calorie restrictions), and workout everyday. So, last night and this morning I didn't pick AT ALL besides one little piece of skin, but I don't really consider that picking. Picking is more like, squeezing and hurting my skin.

But yes...this restraint/massive fail thing happens to me every week during the school year. I won't pick during the week because I know that it will make my life harder. Definitely don't want to have bad skin while teaching a bunch of high schoolers. haha They'll point anything out. But come the weekend, I pick because there are less consequences. Massive fail. haha.

Anyway, Update: I have ONE active zit now wee!! And I didn't pick it. I feel so...accomplished. Which is sad...but seriously, it's a HUGE accomplishment for me to leave it alone. Now, the trick is to leave it alone until it goes away. Honestly, I've never left a whitehead alone so I don't know if they go away on their own....do they? haha

Whiteheads either do one of two things. Slowly go down on their own or explode! Okay, explode is a bit of an exaggeration, they just drain, turn crispy and drop off.

I have two on my face right now, I always leave them alone unless they're huge. I started using PC BHA 2% gel today, hopefully that will bring an end to them!

You're doing well leaving them alone though, keep it up

Whiteheads either do one of two things. Slowly go down on their own or explode! Okay, explode is a bit of an exaggeration, they just drain, turn crispy and drop off.

I have two on my face right now, I always leave them alone unless they're huge. I started using PC BHA 2% gel today, hopefully that will bring an end to them!

You're doing well leaving them alone though, keep it up

Thanks Lewis Haha, crispy zits....fun!

I used PC BHA 2% gel for a while and loved the results! The reason I stopped using her products is because they were too expensive to keep buying. The BHA did the most for my blackheads and the AHA kept my skin smooth and whitehead free. The combo of the two was great for me

Whiteheads either do one of two things. Slowly go down on their own or explode! Okay, explode is a bit of an exaggeration, they just drain, turn crispy and drop off.

I have two on my face right now, I always leave them alone unless they're huge. I started using PC BHA 2% gel today, hopefully that will bring an end to them!

You're doing well leaving them alone though, keep it up

Thanks Lewis Haha, crispy zits....fun!

I used PC BHA 2% gel for a while and loved the results! The reason I stopped using her products is because they were too expensive to keep buying. The BHA did the most for my blackheads and the AHA kept my skin smooth and whitehead free. The combo of the two was great for me

Might get myself some samples of the AHA too. Whiteheads are my main problem.

Update (Day 3 after restarting)

I picked just a bit and ended up with a bump on my right cheek. So right now, I've got 2 actives but they're healing. Everything else is sorting itself out. I need to watch out with "binge picking." As in, I need to NEVER pick more than 1 zit at a time. I think that's a hurdle I need to overcome.

Am I crazy? I hope I'm not the only one who can literally lose track of time in front of the mirror picking at my skin.

Ha I know exactly what you mean! I call them picking sessions but it is a bit of a binge really... Normally when I absolutely have to pick something but don't want to go on a rampage I get my boyfriend to watch me do it (that's love for you!) and either it makes me stop myself or he stops me from picking anything else!

Maybe try it? Or you could use the timer when you know you're going to pick something and it might limit the damage? I've gone on for hours picking in the past - definitely something wrong with me...

Ha I know exactly what you mean! I call them picking sessions but it is a bit of a binge really... Normally when I absolutely have to pick something but don't want to go on a rampage I get my boyfriend to watch me do it (that's love for you!) and either it makes me stop myself or he stops me from picking anything else!

Maybe try it? Or you could use the timer when you know you're going to pick something and it might limit the damage? I've gone on for hours picking in the past - definitely something wrong with me...

The timer thing DOES work when I'm willing to discipline myself...but that's just it...disciplining MYSELF is hard.

I really REALLY like your idea about having the boyfriend watch over as you pick. I mean, no one wants to go on a picking binge in front of their significant other. haha. Although, I'm not sure if I'm comfortable asking my boyfriend to watch-- but that could be all the more reason to do it! Uncomfortable=no sitting on the sink= no picking attacks! haha I'll try it out. Maybe I'll do it a little more subtley-- like, just get ready for bed at the same time and leave the bathroom at the same time. Woo! I think that might just work! Thanks for the idea!

Update on face (DAY 4 after restart): Gawwwd, my face is looking much better! I haven't overly picked at my face in a couple days and it's really showing! My red marks from my nasty breakout are fading (I've been using lemon juice/honey/cinnamon masks and diluted lemon juice along with my coconut oil moisturizing).

The timer thing is helping-- even a mental timer. As in, I say to myself "I'm going to wash my face, put on my treatment and moisturizer, and then leave the bathroom" before I do anything. That way, it's not even an option to pick. I have a habit of feeling my face when I wake up, and sometimes I'll pick dry skin off then. Yesterday, I did peel off some dry skin on my chin from an old zit and it irritated my skin, so I ended up with a zit there. I DID pop it, BUT it was ready and needed it. It's flat now and so I'm happy and it's healing. I didn't pick any blackheads or anything afterwards-- that's all I messed with.

I'll post a picture in a few days