I have been picking at the same area on my scalp for several months since me and my ex broke up (which was 6 months ago). Whenever I got nervous, anxious, bored, upset or stressed I would pick. My mother just noticed as I bent down that I have a bald spot on my head (it's near my parting). I got a mirror- and I'm scared!! Will it ever grow back? I didn't realise the scab picking would affect the hair growing...It might be vain but I really want to stop now I've seen this..

I also constantly pick at scabs on my body, and bite my nails/pick/peel off the skin around my fingers. I have picked my nails ever since I was a child but never bit them until recently when I was trying to quit smoking. I quit, but I still bite my nails. I keep thinking if they are short I won't pick my scalp...The back of my hands are a mess. I have always been 'a picker', picking at scabs or spots since I was a child. I used to get a heat-related rash on my feet which would cause very tiny, itchy blisters- it was misdiagnosed twice and I only got the right treatment cream when I was 19 or so- I had years since I was 13 or 14 of picking at my feet. (I know, I'm disgusting). The only relief from the itching was to scratch furiously and dig out the blisters and peel the skin off, which used to leave me with raw stinging feet. I ocassionally get the same small blisters on my hands when it's hot/sweaty, which adds to my hands being a mess.

This summer I got bitten by gnats a few times, and due to the stress of the break-up picked at the wounds constantly. I showed my ex and he said it looked like I'd been shot. There are now round grey scars on my leg, and a scab where one of them still gets picked at. Also, I enjoy sewing, and any accidental wounds I've got, like papercuts, or pins in me, even a scratch when I caught myself on something weeks ago, are still there because they get picked at constantly. I tried savlon/skin creams etc and enjoy the nuturing aspect but still end up picking, also put plasters on but the glue gave me a rash so no help! I used to wear gloves to work, when I worked, as I'd end up picking my hands and not working, but I just kept taking them off or sticking my fingers underneath them to pick. I'm not so bad at picking at my face mostly but I have done in the past, and do horribly when I get one of those painful swollen spots (like around that time of the month).

I have wanted to stop picking at my hands for a while, and biting my nails, but this bald spot has made me think about how much I do pick, and whether it's normal, or actually very destructive. People tell me to stop, and swat my hands but I can't control the urge, then I want to do it more to show them they're not in control of me. I'm taking paroxetine and seeing a therapist for CBT about my depression, and I told her I pick at my skin when I'm nervous, but we haven't covered it yet (only had 3 sessions). I was feeling very down today and spent the whole hour with my hands clasped together wringing them about a lot.

I tried fake nails but it was hard to pick anything up, and they were too big for my nails (I bought them myself and glued them on). I ended up picking at the fake nails...!

I'm really sad that I can't seem to stop, it reminds me of when I used to self-harm and I felt scared when cuts/scabs would heal as I would look 'OK' when I wasn't, so I'd keep picking to prolong them.

I would love to hear other peoples' stories, if anyone is similar and has managed to stop, just to know I'm not alone.

Melissa x

HI Melissa,

I'm sorry that you're having such a problem with this. It sounds painful. I would guess at it being an anxiety problem but then I don't know much about OCD.

With regards to your hair, I think it will probably grow back but if you're worried, it might be worth finding a good hairdresser and talking to them about it - just say you had a cut, you don't have to go into details.

You are definitely not alone with this and I am sure other people will be along to share their experiences.

As far as your therapist goes, I would bring it up at the start of the next session and explain that it is an immediate problem and ask if you can focus on it because you think it's getting out of hand. She shouldn't have a problem with that. I think it is a problem you need to solve psychologically because your habit will always win out over false nails etc.

PRT xx

it kinda sounds like a automated cognitive coping mechanism, repsonse to anxeity.. not so much ocd (but im not a doc)

when i get anxious i scratch my eczema or my foot bounces a million miles an hour.

and i know this maybe a bad conncetions and sorry if i offend u but my dog gets licking sores where he cosnatly plays with one spot and the hair falls out and a scab appears... in like 4 weeks its all good again.

Thanks PRT, yes I will try and remember to ask her next time. I'm doing better with the ex thing (despite the argument I posted about) but can't seem to stop this. It's not overly physically painful, but mentally frustrating. (And I don't think you meant physically, anyway...) I don't self harm anymore but this seems to be a form of it.

I don't know much about OCD either- maybe it would be better in another section.

No worries cookie86, actually we have a dog who constantly licks at his paw, and a cat who has a bald tummy from licking, the fur grows back when she stops long enough, so I don't mind the comparison. The vet said it was stress related and we got this perfumey thing (like a plug in air freshener) that released some cat pheromones then she stopped for a while, but she still does it now. Growls when I try to stop her, so she's a bit like me! However the dog has a patch on his leg (elbow?) where it's been rubbed on things constantly and made hard skin, so the fur's stopped growing there- I don't want that to happen to my head!

Lol! It won't.
I think it can definitely be seen as a form of self-harm and I think the important thing is to stop it at this before it develops back into a more harmful method. xxx

Hehe, thanks! Made me chuckle though.

Yes, that's true. It seems to stop at that though, with the exception of using sharp objects like pins to poke/dig at scabs with - actually now I think about it thats pretty harmful. I guess I justify it by thinking that I'm scratching when I have an itch (like the heat rash I might get on my hands), but I scratch til it bleeds which isn't good, then stop it from healing.

I had an appointment today and was nervous while I was waiting so I started scratching at the backs of my hands- they don't even itch! It went really well anyway (a scheme for people who have gaps in work, to get self confidence and stuff). Might post about it elsewhere on here.

My mothers' suggestion is mittens! 'Mittens like when you were a kitten,' she said once..slip of the tongue???

I have scratched/picked at my scalp and my hands a little today, even though knowing what the bald patch looks like was supposed to scare me and stop me doing it!

With the hands I tend to think, they've been like that for so long I'm used to it, it's not something that's going to get better...

Would still love to hear from other people who do this :-)

I am going thru the same thing right now! for the last few months I have had this scab i picked everday and now it bald. About the size of a dime. It is smooth like a babys butt, NO HAIR! I take zanax for anxitey and that will help sometimes. It is awful! I dont know if it will ever grow back or why its not. I too have always been a picker.