I just turned 16. Since I'm a teen, I do go through lots of random stress and I end up picking at my skin to deal with it all. My family has never suffered from severe acne and I have always had clear skin...until I started picking at it. My skin now has been acting up and I've been getting a lot of acne that I can't seem to pop and it's only getting worse. I now have discoloration on my skin and my arms are covered in scars that I'm afraid I'll never recover from. All the girls at my school have gorgeous skin and all I want is to have a youthful,clear, and glowing look to my skin just like everyone else. Please help me achieve this goal!!! Thank you!!!!
I have the same problem as you and I'm 21... it's a difficult habit to quit, I've tried since I was your age. I can't help you with how to stop but I'll advise you to be careful about scarring!! I never was when I was 16 and now I have many scars that'll be expensive to get back to looking halfway decent again... So always have clean hands when you pick, and never pick at the scab! Ever!
However on a positive note, when I was 13 I picked a lot on my arms and got some ugly scars too but those have all faded. It's worse to get scars on the face because the skin is so delicate.
Hi, I'm 21 and also a skin picker. It's actually called Dermatillomania and you are right it is a behaviour that we use to deal with stress- [Edited link out]
Behavioural therapy is apparently quite effective. I find wearing make up means I don't tend to pick as I cannot see imperfections and I don't want to rub the make up into my skin so my brain turns to turn off almost. I know it's not really good for my skin but it stops the picking behaviour.
As for your arms I used to pick all the time, maybe 2 years or so ago, and my arms have not got much scaring and I rarely pick them now. I wear long sleeved t-shirts and sweaters at home so I can't physically pick them. I used, and still use, bio oil to even the skin tone on my arms and body. This helps with scars but sometimes gives me blocked pores but the long sleeves at home means I can't pick them! Exfoliating my arms and body helps too.
My key tip is to try not to obsess over picking. As it is linked to anxiety and stress the obsessing almost encourages picking to comfort you. It's a vicious cycle. Drink plenty of water, eat good food (avoid sugar), take off all make up at night (if you wear any) and if you do have a bad day when you pick just accept that you have done it and think to yourself "I've slipped up but I can't take it back now" and move on. I would suggest dealing with the underlying issue and seeking help for your stress and anxiety as this is the root cause of the picking. This is what I am currently trying to achieve and it is helping!
I'm about to turn 28 and have been a skin picker my entire life. Growing up I had clear skin but since my first pregnancy I've had acne, regular and cystic. I pick at that crap until I get it out. Because of it, I have scabs and scars all over my face. I read a lot of self help articles and books. I've been keeping my nails short, covering and turning my mirrors around, and trying to not touch my face with my bare hands. It helps for me to not pick all throughout the day, I just need to not pick at all. Hope this helps.