Dermatillomania is a disorder which involves repeating and impulsive picking of the skin which generally results to impairments of the skin. This impulse control dysfunction is also called pathologic skin picking, neurogenic excoriation, and compulsive skin picking. This is sometimes related to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), although some experts say that it is more associated with substance abuse disorder. It is because dermatillomania may give joy and may lower the emotions of anxiety of a person with the disorder.
Signs and symptoms
People who suffer from dermatillomania primarily exhibit skin picking when they are stressed, tense, or anxious. Most pick at their skin when they feel that there is something wrong with their skin or when they note some skin irregularities or blemishes. Some may even find skin picking as a way to release their tension. They typically pick at the skin on their face, fingers, toes, lips, chest, stomach, arms, legs, or even their scalp. Scars are usually seen on these body parts.
Because of constant compulsive skin picking, these people are at risk of skin infections. This is especially true when their fingers or the tools they use in skin picking are not clean. They are also prone to tissue damage. In fact, some patients with dermatillomania have swollen, bleeding, or calloused skin. There are also a few patients who have systemic infection, or septicemia as a complication of dermatillomania.
People who have dermatillomania also suffer from low self-esteem, guilt, and distress. These intense thoughts might even lead to further self-harm. In fact, there are several people who have this disorder who have suicidal tendencies.
Causes
Specialists say that there are various hypotheses explaining the probable cause of dermatillomania. One of these hypotheses states that dermatillomania is a way for a person to cope with intense panic and anxiety. At the same time, another hypothesis explains that it's a way of repressing an individual's rage against his parents who might be regarded as expecting absolute obedience from that person.
There are also recent studies on pathologic skin picking. According to these studies, excessive amounts of dopamine in the body or intake of drugs that further increase the amount of dopamine may lead to that impulse of picking at the skin. On the other hand, this behavior is controlled when drugs that inhibit the effect of dopamine are taken.
Other experiments, nevertheless, show that people with dermatillomania have lessened motor-inhibitory control than others who don't have the dysfunction; even though both groups have the similar opportunity to think about a number of things at the same time or jump from thinking of one concept to another. Which means that some brain pathways responsible for controlling movements and behavior in pathologic skin pickers may be affected.
With these concepts, it can be deduced that not all skin pickers have skin disorders before they've dermatillomania. An additional belief that all skin pickers have a psychosis is also debunked.
Cure
There is lack of evidence on how dermatillomania is to be treated. In fact, at present, there is no drug specifically designed to treat this disorder. However, some interventions for other disorders like OCD and anxiety disorders may also be used for people with dermatillomania. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), which are typically used as pharmacological intervention for OCD, and some drugs that are used in cocaine addiction may be used for compulsive skin pickers. It is also said that an anti-epileptic drug named Topiramate may also be used. Then again, it is strongly advised to seek help from a psychiatrist before taking any medication.
Non-pharmacological treatments could also serve as remedy for dermatillomania. Common behavioral interventions include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance-enhanced behavior therapy. Habit reversal training, wherein the affected person is served to become more alert to his condition, can also be used as treatment. In truth, some patients are advised to keep skin picking logs in order for them to boost their degree of awareness on what they are doing and preferably, allow them to regulate it. Some reports introduced mindfulness-based psychotherapy as the second method of addressing dermatillomania, which allows the person to learn to recognize his condition and accept it, even though the behavior is unpleasant.
Signs and symptoms
People who suffer from dermatillomania primarily exhibit skin picking when they are stressed, tense, or anxious. Most pick at their skin when they feel that there is something wrong with their skin or when they note some skin irregularities or blemishes. Some may even find skin picking as a way to release their tension. They typically pick at the skin on their face, fingers, toes, lips, chest, stomach, arms, legs, or even their scalp. Scars are usually seen on these body parts.
Because of constant compulsive skin picking, these people are at risk of skin infections. This is especially true when their fingers or the tools they use in skin picking are not clean. They are also prone to tissue damage. In fact, some patients with dermatillomania have swollen, bleeding, or calloused skin. There are also a few patients who have systemic infection, or septicemia as a complication of dermatillomania.
People who have dermatillomania also suffer from low self-esteem, guilt, and distress. These intense thoughts might even lead to further self-harm. In fact, there are several people who have this disorder who have suicidal tendencies.
Causes
Specialists say that there are various hypotheses explaining the probable cause of dermatillomania. One of these hypotheses states that dermatillomania is a way for a person to cope with intense panic and anxiety. At the same time, another hypothesis explains that it's a way of repressing an individual's rage against his parents who might be regarded as expecting absolute obedience from that person.
There are also recent studies on pathologic skin picking. According to these studies, excessive amounts of dopamine in the body or intake of drugs that further increase the amount of dopamine may lead to that impulse of picking at the skin. On the other hand, this behavior is controlled when drugs that inhibit the effect of dopamine are taken.
Other experiments, nevertheless, show that people with dermatillomania have lessened motor-inhibitory control than others who don't have the dysfunction; even though both groups have the similar opportunity to think about a number of things at the same time or jump from thinking of one concept to another. Which means that some brain pathways responsible for controlling movements and behavior in pathologic skin pickers may be affected.
With these concepts, it can be deduced that not all skin pickers have skin disorders before they've dermatillomania. An additional belief that all skin pickers have a psychosis is also debunked.
Cure
There is lack of evidence on how dermatillomania is to be treated. In fact, at present, there is no drug specifically designed to treat this disorder. However, some interventions for other disorders like OCD and anxiety disorders may also be used for people with dermatillomania. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), which are typically used as pharmacological intervention for OCD, and some drugs that are used in cocaine addiction may be used for compulsive skin pickers. It is also said that an anti-epileptic drug named Topiramate may also be used. Then again, it is strongly advised to seek help from a psychiatrist before taking any medication.
Non-pharmacological treatments could also serve as remedy for dermatillomania. Common behavioral interventions include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance-enhanced behavior therapy. Habit reversal training, wherein the affected person is served to become more alert to his condition, can also be used as treatment. In truth, some patients are advised to keep skin picking logs in order for them to boost their degree of awareness on what they are doing and preferably, allow them to regulate it. Some reports introduced mindfulness-based psychotherapy as the second method of addressing dermatillomania, which allows the person to learn to recognize his condition and accept it, even though the behavior is unpleasant.
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