3 Ways to Stop Picking at Your Skin

Introduction

As anybody who has ever had acne will tell you, resisting the urge to pick at your skin is easier said than done.

Despite the fact that virtually everybody knows it can ultimately result in unseemly marks, blemishes, and even long-term scarring, sometimes it’s just too tempting to pass up, particularly if acne has been taking a toll on your self-esteem as well.

From small, relatively inconsequential whitehead pimples right the way up to larger cysts that seem to be just bursting with pus, there are all kinds of triggers for picking at your skin that will crop up from time to time.

It’s important to be able to resist the temptation, though, for the best of your skin’s health long-term.

That’s why we’ve decided to write an article about four of the best ways to stop yourself from picking at your skin and giving any acne treatment you’re undergoing the best possible chance of working. Read on to discover some of the must-have techniques you might want to become familiar with.

1: Make Picking Inconvenient

The first method we’re going to discuss is based on a concept called stimulus control. The idea is to make it as hard as possible for yourself to pick at any given moment, usually by enacting changes to your environment.

As time goes on, you’ll gradually ease your way out of the habit since it just simply isn’t possible to pick a lot of the time.

Some of the ways you can exercise stimulus control are by keeping your nails tightly clipped, wearing clothing that covers more skin than usual, and distracting yourself with other items that are in the vicinity.

If you can get even a couple of these going at the same time, you’ll be well on your way to building a habit that will soon replace the habit you already have of picking at your skin. Consistency is the key when it comes to modifying your behavior, and stimulus control is an excellent example of this.

2: Practice Meditation

It may seem a long way off from the down-to-earth realities of pimply skin just dying to be picked at, but incorporating even basic meditative techniques into your daily routine will help you to cut down on any long-term negative effects you may have been inflicting upon your skin.

By staying in the moment as much as possible, you’ll have better control over your emotional response to any given situation, which can play an important part in resisting the initial urge to pick and waiting for the moment to pass.

One easy way to get started with meditation is to sit on your chair, or the floor, for five minutes. That’s all you have to do: sit still for five minutes without moving or speaking.

It sounds simple, but in practice, it can be a very difficult thing to do. It doesn’t really matter how or where you sit, as long as you get used to feeling discomfort and bearing through it.

It’s a great way to get started with the technique, and even a small practice performed frequently has racked up some impressive results.

3: Consider Therapy

If all else fails, it might be an idea to consider seeking professional help. CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy, has been shown to have impressive results when it comes to curbing the kind of compulsive behavior that picking is.

The therapy focuses on improving the way the patient regulates their emotions by changing unhelpful behaviors and habits.

If your picking is interfering with your life to a significant degree and neither meditation nor making it inconvenient have been doing the trick, you may want to look into CBT and decide if it seems like something you want to pursue down the line.

Conclusion

Compulsively picking at your skin can seem like something almost impossible to quit at times, but with patience and persistence, there’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to get over the impulse.

It’s a habit like any other habit and practicing a few basic techniques here and there can make a big difference when it comes to kicking the urge.

If there’s anything else you’d like to know about acne scarring — whether that’s how it comes about or what there is to be done about it — feel free to get in touch with the team here at AcneXpert. We’d be happy to provide any assistance we can.