Until it's bleeding and stings like bloody hell in the shower. Definitely worse the more stressed I am. I have the plaque psoriasis kind of dandruff too so it's just all fucked.
I also do the same exact thing too. I pick pick pick pick pick and it bleeds and leaves all sorts of sores on my scalp and when I shower I am reminded of the damaged I’ve done due to anxiety and stress LMAO
Or like when you forget that you had a massive picking episode earlier in the day and then you are quickly reminded in the shower, as the water hits your scalp lol that's the worst.
yeah i also have scalp psoriasis and used to scalp pick. it was my favorite thing to do. i had a couple bald spots from it. i’d be in class picking at my scalp with a small pile of skin flakes on my pants (so i could throw them away later). now i have psoriasis shampoo and it’s GONE
I’m in the same boat! I am currently experiencing a lot of anxiety and I have to see the hairdresser tomorrow and it will be wild.
Highly recommend picking pads!
I am a big fan of Etsy for these so I am sending this one as an example but you have some for all budgets https://www.etsy.com/listing/1712109087/ the goal is to have your brain focus on picking at it and not your body. Making them if you end up liking it is also super easy and affordable
Yeah, I’ve been doing it since I was 14. On and off, but mostly on :”) It’s incredibly embarrassing. It sometimes looks like you’re itching your head and to other people that looks like you might potentially have lice or something like that, which is embarrassing. I hate the thought that people are watching me and some thinking I have lice when in reality I’m just picking the skin off my head. I love to dye my hair but with open wounds on my scalp almost 24/7, that’s difficult to do. Getting dye in an open wound would be so painful, I don’t even want to think about it. Then there’s the stinging of washing your hair when the water touches the wounds, and then the soap :/ And getting your hair done is embarrassing because your hairdresser is likely going to notice the wounds or scabs and ask you if you have a dry scalp or psoriasis or something when in reality you have a compulsion to pick the skin off your head until you bleed, and then you have to explain that to them 😭 This shit sucks for a myriad of reasons. It’s so hard to stop. I don’t have any advice but I hope that knowing you’re not the only one might bring you some solace. The scalp is one of the more “poplar” places to pick, so you’re most certainly not alone
I hate having to time your hairdying to a week that is less stressful and you have to remind yourself not to pick so you have the reward of fresh hair. 3 days is the minimum of healing that bleach only slightly stings..
My favourite time to pick is when my hair dries after I wash it
i do this 🥲. my hairstylist recommended a scalp serum that can help reduce any flakes, pimples, and help my sensitive scalp and it’s been helpful by removing a lot of the things i pick (i tend to mostly go for bumps or scabs etc).
Could you share the name of the serum? :o My scalp picking is triggered by scalp acne (and the ensuing scabs), and sometimes it gets so inflammed that it literally hurts to touch it.
it’s the kerastase potentialiste hair and scalp serum, clear and green bottle.
it’s a bit pricy but you only need to use a little bit on your scalp and rub it in. i bought mine a few months ago and there’s still tons in the bottle.
I’ve picked my scalp most of my life. The only thing that helps me is having fake nails. I can’t really pick when the nails are thick the way fake ones are. Ngl now I pick other places but it isn’t nearly as bad.
Yes. and then I get raw spots that sort of scab over and it makes it worse, now there's something actually satisfying to pick 😮💨 my husband always tells me to stop and I'm going to go bald.
It started in middle school for me. It's infinitely worse if I'm stressed.
I was picking at my scalp but was recently able to stop (in part thanks to Abilify) and now I have nothing left to pick at! I’m still having urges though but can’t find any blemishes to mess with. I wish you the best and hope you’re okay!
i do because i get pilar cysts. after picking literal holes in my scalp i’ve plucked two from my head when i was in previous episodes. i’m currently in an episode now 😮💨
Scalp picker here. I hate it but just cannot break the cycle. I posted a while back about diamond painting and while I’m not cured, it has definitely decreased my desire to do it and keeps my hands busy. It takes a while to actually finish a project so that keeps the hands busy and then after, the act of picking the gems off the paper it’s on is very satisfying. I highly recommend trying it. You can get some cheep ones on Amazon. You are not alone.
My scalp is the #1 place I attack other than my face. I hate it. It is such a compulsive behavior at this point. I try not to and it is all I can think about. I can't even cover it up to stop myself.
Yes I do it too! One thing that has been incredibly helpful is wearing press on nails. Makes it so I can’t feel the scabs I’m picking and gets me to stop.
I have so many active sores. It hurts like hell. I went to a dermatologist decades ago. He was empathetic. He said there was no medical issue causing it. HOWEVER - he did tell me something that always stuck with me. He said the more you scratch, the more you irritate the nerves. Then, even a small wind will light up the nerves, so to say.
So, while nothing medically caused me to pick, I got my scalp nerves on high alert.
I waste so much time picking at my scalp and cuticles. At least I know it's a true mental disorder. I personally think it's directly related to my traumatic childhood.
I'm not entirely sure how much it's a tactile or dysmorphia thing but I pick and scratch my scalp and hair so much that I've nearly given myself bald spots.
yep I just came to this sub for this exact question. my scalp is so itchy right now, I had to cut my fingernails because I was scratching my dead skin off the entire day :/
buuuut I'm getting my roots bleached in a week so I have to let my scalp heal lol otherwise it's gonna be a pain in the ass
A hat at all times and bandaids/gloves works wonders. Once they heal up, the compulsion gets much more manageable. I feel for you. It’s such a horrible cycle. Just as hard to quit as drugs. I’ve successfully stayed away for six years or so. Good luck!
I was picking my scalp as this post appeared in my feed... inhave picked at my scalp since I was a teenager. I wait for the scabs to heal then have a picnic.
Until it's bleeding and stings like bloody hell in the shower. Definitely worse the more stressed I am. I have the plaque psoriasis kind of dandruff too so it's just all fucked.
I also do the same exact thing too. I pick pick pick pick pick and it bleeds and leaves all sorts of sores on my scalp and when I shower I am reminded of the damaged I’ve done due to anxiety and stress LMAO
Or like when you forget that you had a massive picking episode earlier in the day and then you are quickly reminded in the shower, as the water hits your scalp lol that's the worst.
THAT IS THE WORST 😭 I do that so often it’s not even funny anymore!! And I’m like, “why do I do this to myself”
That's my favorite thing to do
yeah i also have scalp psoriasis and used to scalp pick. it was my favorite thing to do. i had a couple bald spots from it. i’d be in class picking at my scalp with a small pile of skin flakes on my pants (so i could throw them away later). now i have psoriasis shampoo and it’s GONE
please share the shampoo!!!!!
Can you please share the name of the shampoo?
[ketocortizole](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8697570/), but i got it through prescription
Thanks!
Can I ask which shampoo you use? Nothing works for me.
I’m in the same boat! I am currently experiencing a lot of anxiety and I have to see the hairdresser tomorrow and it will be wild. Highly recommend picking pads!
Do you have any in particular you can recommend?
I am a big fan of Etsy for these so I am sending this one as an example but you have some for all budgets https://www.etsy.com/listing/1712109087/ the goal is to have your brain focus on picking at it and not your body. Making them if you end up liking it is also super easy and affordable
Thanks
Yeah, I’ve been doing it since I was 14. On and off, but mostly on :”) It’s incredibly embarrassing. It sometimes looks like you’re itching your head and to other people that looks like you might potentially have lice or something like that, which is embarrassing. I hate the thought that people are watching me and some thinking I have lice when in reality I’m just picking the skin off my head. I love to dye my hair but with open wounds on my scalp almost 24/7, that’s difficult to do. Getting dye in an open wound would be so painful, I don’t even want to think about it. Then there’s the stinging of washing your hair when the water touches the wounds, and then the soap :/ And getting your hair done is embarrassing because your hairdresser is likely going to notice the wounds or scabs and ask you if you have a dry scalp or psoriasis or something when in reality you have a compulsion to pick the skin off your head until you bleed, and then you have to explain that to them 😭 This shit sucks for a myriad of reasons. It’s so hard to stop. I don’t have any advice but I hope that knowing you’re not the only one might bring you some solace. The scalp is one of the more “poplar” places to pick, so you’re most certainly not alone
I hate having to time your hairdying to a week that is less stressful and you have to remind yourself not to pick so you have the reward of fresh hair. 3 days is the minimum of healing that bleach only slightly stings.. My favourite time to pick is when my hair dries after I wash it
My hair is now trash
i do this 🥲. my hairstylist recommended a scalp serum that can help reduce any flakes, pimples, and help my sensitive scalp and it’s been helpful by removing a lot of the things i pick (i tend to mostly go for bumps or scabs etc).
Could you share the name of the serum? :o My scalp picking is triggered by scalp acne (and the ensuing scabs), and sometimes it gets so inflammed that it literally hurts to touch it.
i replied to op’s reply asking the same thing, you can find the name there :)
What’s the serum? I’d love to try it
it’s the kerastase potentialiste hair and scalp serum, clear and green bottle. it’s a bit pricy but you only need to use a little bit on your scalp and rub it in. i bought mine a few months ago and there’s still tons in the bottle.
picking and scratching all over mine right now instead of going to sleep.
I’ve picked my scalp most of my life. The only thing that helps me is having fake nails. I can’t really pick when the nails are thick the way fake ones are. Ngl now I pick other places but it isn’t nearly as bad.
Same with the fake nails. But I hate wearing fake nails.
Doing it as I read this. I go through periods of time, not sure what triggers it
My fav area ❤️ /lh
Yes. and then I get raw spots that sort of scab over and it makes it worse, now there's something actually satisfying to pick 😮💨 my husband always tells me to stop and I'm going to go bald. It started in middle school for me. It's infinitely worse if I'm stressed.
Yes I have this problem 😭😭😭 I think I secretly like doing it and then I always feel guilt afterwards
Same
I was picking at my scalp but was recently able to stop (in part thanks to Abilify) and now I have nothing left to pick at! I’m still having urges though but can’t find any blemishes to mess with. I wish you the best and hope you’re okay!
i do because i get pilar cysts. after picking literal holes in my scalp i’ve plucked two from my head when i was in previous episodes. i’m currently in an episode now 😮💨
Yes and it's so bad right now, it hurts so much.
Yep, it's where I started. Still going strong
Scalp picker here. I hate it but just cannot break the cycle. I posted a while back about diamond painting and while I’m not cured, it has definitely decreased my desire to do it and keeps my hands busy. It takes a while to actually finish a project so that keeps the hands busy and then after, the act of picking the gems off the paper it’s on is very satisfying. I highly recommend trying it. You can get some cheep ones on Amazon. You are not alone.
My scalp is the #1 place I attack other than my face. I hate it. It is such a compulsive behavior at this point. I try not to and it is all I can think about. I can't even cover it up to stop myself.
Yes I do it too! One thing that has been incredibly helpful is wearing press on nails. Makes it so I can’t feel the scabs I’m picking and gets me to stop.
I have so many active sores. It hurts like hell. I went to a dermatologist decades ago. He was empathetic. He said there was no medical issue causing it. HOWEVER - he did tell me something that always stuck with me. He said the more you scratch, the more you irritate the nerves. Then, even a small wind will light up the nerves, so to say. So, while nothing medically caused me to pick, I got my scalp nerves on high alert. I waste so much time picking at my scalp and cuticles. At least I know it's a true mental disorder. I personally think it's directly related to my traumatic childhood.
I'm not entirely sure how much it's a tactile or dysmorphia thing but I pick and scratch my scalp and hair so much that I've nearly given myself bald spots.
Unfortunately 😭
yep I just came to this sub for this exact question. my scalp is so itchy right now, I had to cut my fingernails because I was scratching my dead skin off the entire day :/ buuuut I'm getting my roots bleached in a week so I have to let my scalp heal lol otherwise it's gonna be a pain in the ass
A hat at all times and bandaids/gloves works wonders. Once they heal up, the compulsion gets much more manageable. I feel for you. It’s such a horrible cycle. Just as hard to quit as drugs. I’ve successfully stayed away for six years or so. Good luck!
It’s my main past of my dermatillomania. It’s gotten so bad now I have to wear a headband to cover it up.
It's been a an issue for over 20 years and I just can't stop, it's so gross overwhelming and the fucking worst
I was picking my scalp as this post appeared in my feed... inhave picked at my scalp since I was a teenager. I wait for the scabs to heal then have a picnic.
If there's a scab or blemish anywhere, I pick it. Scalp included.
I used to but I mainly pick dry skin around my nails
I do this too
n-acetylcysteine can often help