Neurotic Excoriations

Pathologic Skin Picking

“…However, the two disorders differ in important ways (5). For example, the 1:1 male to female gender ratio seen in OCD is in stark contrast to the preponderance of females seen in PSP (6). Furthermore, although picking seen in PSP generally decreases anxiety, much like the compulsions in OCD, picking may also produce feelings of pleasure (7), a characteristic rarely endorsed in OCD.…”

Do it yourself! Evaluation of self-help habit reversal training versus decoupling in pathological skin picking: A pilot study

“…Skin picking may involve all body parts. Notwithstanding that the phenomenology was first described more than 130 years ago (see Fruensgaard, Hjortshøj, & Nielsen, 1978) and carries many (virtually) synonymous terms (e.g., Acne Excoriée, neurotic excoriation, psychogenic excoriation, dermatotillomania, body focused repetitive behavior), as of yet it is both underrecognized and underdiagnosed by many clinicians (Neziroglu, Rabinowitz, Breytman, & Jacofsky, 2008). Many patients regard PSP as a bad habit and are neither aware that it is considered a disorder nor that treatment is available (Neziroglu et al, 2008).…”

Psychodermatology: An Overview

“…It starts with unconscious picking of small irregularities in the skin, and initially it takes the form of an extension of cleaning procedures for removing comedos. In more pronounced cases, the habit becomes uncontrollable and turns into an imperative urge to dig into the skin in order to remove imaginary foreign substances [15]. Treatment is always difficult and general measures, such as protection against further self-mutilation by local bandaging and antipruritic salves, arc 127 recommended in combination with suppor tive psychotherapy.…”