HOW TO STOP PICKING YOUR FACE
3 Common Reasons People Pick Their Face
1. ANXIETY
Oftentimes people pick their face when anxious about another aspect of their lives. It’s in the same realm of OCD and an impulse disorder.
2. CONCENTRATION
Another common reason for picking is due to concentration. Sometimes people pick while deeply focused on other tasks such as watching TV, reading, driving, or at their desks.
3. SATISFACTION
Some people claim to feel a touch of satisfaction when they spot a bump and have the itch to pop it on their own. Which, of course, can lead to infection, additional pimples, and scarring. Not good.
We’re all prone to picking our faces. Obviously, people who don’t struggle with breakouts won’t have much to pick. Picking is a form of control, so it’s common for people who tend to break out when stressed to then pick their face instead. They feel stressed, so they break out. Then they stress out over the breakout, which leads to the picking. It’s a vicious cycle.
6 TIPS TO QUIT PICKING YOUR FACE
1. JOURNAL
Instead of defaulting to picking your face as a coping mechanism, journaling every morning or night can help ease any frustration and anxiety creeping their way into your headspace.
2. HIDE YOUR MIRROR
Do as recommended by Hafeez and kick your habit of staring into a magnified mirror. They can reinforce picking by putting every "flaw" on display, which incites temptation.
3. SEE AN ESTHETICIAN OR DERMATOLOGIST
Enlist the help of a professional to help heal your skin and determine a healthy skincare regimen designed for your specific skin type and skin concerns.
4. KEEP NAILS SHORT
The key to not exacerbating your skin even more? Keeping your nails short. Plus, it makes picking to begin with more of a challenge.
5. KEEP YOUR HANDS OCCUPIED
Whether it’s something as simple as keeping a stress ball or Silly Putty by your desk. Anything to keep your hands busy (and thus, off your face) is another great option if you're trying to wean yourself off the habit of picking your face.
6. FIND STRESS RELIEVING TOOLS THAT WORK FOR YOU IN ALL SITUATIONS
Take a yoga class, get out in nature, meditate, hit the gym, find some solitude, talk to a good friend, take a soothing bath. Check in and see if your picking is correlated with your stress levels and use the urge as in indicator that it's time to address the stress.
7. USE PIMPLE PATCHES
If you have an active breakout, medicated pimple patches are a great way to treat and protect your skin. These are widely available and easy to take with you.