# Dermatophagia



## NotMyFaultInOurStars (Mar 9, 2013)

Dermatophagia: A type of Impulse Control Disorder wherein a sufferer compulsively bites his or her own skin. Sufferers typically bite the skin around the nails, leading to bleeding and discoloration over time.

Just found out about this dermatophagia disorder. I would say I have a slight case of this, nothing to serious. I sometimes bite the skin around my nails when I'm really nervous. In my toddler years I would constantly bite my nails, not sure if this is related to dermatophagia. 

Does anyone else have this disorder?


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## Anyanka (Dec 18, 2012)

I have dermatillomania, which is fairly similar, except that it's picking rather than biting. Especially on the arms and face. It's something that I find the impulse for everyday, multiple times a day, and have struggled with since very early childhood. Apparently, it's very difficult to quit without CBT or similar intervention. Which I'd have to agree with - I've tried stopping a number of times, but the next day I always wind up back on the wagon. :hide

Can you easily refrain from the biting? Or is it impulsive also?


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## llodell88 (May 15, 2011)

im a cheekbiter...i think they may all be manifestations of the same thing. SSRIs help


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## Anyanka (Dec 18, 2012)

llodell88 said:


> im a cheekbiter...i think they may all be manifestations of the same thing. SSRIs help


Oh yes, I've also had cheek biting phases in the past year or so.


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## NotMyFaultInOurStars (Mar 9, 2013)

Anyanka said:


> I have dermatillomania, which is fairly similar, except that it's picking rather than biting. Especially on the arms and face. It's something that I find the impulse for everyday, multiple times a day, and have struggled with since very early childhood. Apparently, it's very difficult to quit without CBT or similar intervention. Which I'd have to agree with - I've tried stopping a number of times, but the next day I always wind up back on the wagon. :hide
> 
> Can you easily refrain from the biting? Or is it impulsive also?


I can control it, but I do it subconsciously sometimes and I only start biting when my hands are clean xS


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## NotMyFaultInOurStars (Mar 9, 2013)

Anyanka said:


> Oh yes, I've also had cheek biting phases in the past year or so.


Whoa cheekbiting is also a form of dermatophagia? I do that also...


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## heysam (Jan 14, 2013)

I had that when I was kid but whenever my siblings noticed me biting my nails they'd insult me and my parents would scold me. I think my dad had even hit me several times because of it. I was scared of them so I completely stopped that habit at the age of 12.


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## march_hare (Jan 18, 2006)

Eeep. I think I have this :-/
I am often picking and biting at the skin around my nails. It gets worse in times of stress.


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## renegade disaster (Jul 28, 2009)

I used to get this but I don't have it so bad now, in the end I began to look at my fingers which were bloody and red all the time and realise that it was too destructive. I think i've sort of replaced this behaviour with hair pulling though :/


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## tehuti88 (Jun 19, 2005)

I chew the insides of my cheeks, and bite/pick at skin around my nails (as well as picking at other things--tough little bits of skin just beg to be picked at or bitten ops ), though for me it's more of a compulsive/boredom behavior than anything caused by stress. It gets a little ugly now and then but for the most part it doesn't excessively bother me. :stu

I also pull off/bite off dead skin on my lips so much that they often get chapped and bleed...I had a therapist once worried that I was dehydrating myself because of the state of my lips. Didn't even know they looked that bad. ops I can't stand using chapstick though, I'd just wipe it off.


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## NotMyFaultInOurStars (Mar 9, 2013)

tehuti88 said:


> I chew the insides of my cheeks, and bite/pick at skin around my nails (as well as picking at other things--tough little bits of skin just beg to be picked at or bitten ops ), though for me it's more of a compulsive/boredom behavior than anything caused by stress. It gets a little ugly now and then but for the most part it doesn't excessively bother me. :stu
> 
> I also pull off/bite off dead skin on my lips so much that they often get chapped and bleed...I had a therapist once worried that I was dehydrating myself because of the state of my lips. Didn't even know they looked that bad. ops I can't stand using chapstick though, I'd just wipe it off.


I find that using toothpicks really helps with the cheekbiting and lip biting; it takes away from the boredom (you have something to fiddle with xD) and its sortof a replacement/occupies your mouth.


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## hamsterbaby6 (Apr 23, 2013)

Hello. I've been suffering with this condition for 5 years now, and over the past 20 days, I've had a miracle recovery. I have tracked my journey and provided tips for recovery on this tumblr site, http://dermatophagiaddiction.tumblr.com/page/3
I really want to help as many people as I can with this, so please check it out and spread the word.

Really, what triggered me to start my recovery was when my friend asked me if I had cut or burnt my fingers. I could not say anything else but agree, because I was too embarrassed to confess that I had dermatophagia. Furthermore, it was getting to be a real hassle because I could not focus or think without having to rip out skin from my cuticles and taste the blood and skin against the back of my throat.

I was, too, getting very sensitive to other people who have dermatophagia. I would get really disgusted when I see other people doing their thing, and I would have a deep self-hatred because I would, too, be picking at my fingers under the table.

So, what is my true secret for recovering from this? I learned to love myself. Instead of treating my fingers as the enemy, I treated them as my baby. I used cuticle massage creams, lip balm, Polysporin, nail polish, and a lot more knacky ways to help myself.

I've posted all my methods on my Tumblr site (http://dermatophagiaddiction.tumblr.com/page/3), so please follow along with pictures of progress, and help yourself.

All the best!

Hamsterbaby6


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## randomgirl7937 (Sep 4, 2013)

*i dont know if i have it...*

Well I used to bite and pick nails and skin around my fingernails, toenails and on soles of my feet, not obsessively though, now I bite my cheeks quite often but not until they bleed, except every so often (every few months), usually when I am bored, I chew my tongue badly until it it is raw and bleeding, and then I move onto my cheeks. It is very painful after and means I can't eat salty or acidic foods for a good few days, but as I said its not very often? I mean I've heard stories where people bite their fingers/cheeks raw and bloody daily? If anyone could tell me if I have dermatophagia or not, that would be great, thanks.


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## DermaToSaviour (Nov 13, 2014)

*www.instagram.com/DermaToSaviour*

Hi - I recently set up a support resource on Instagram for those living with Dermatophagia & other BFRB disorders. Please feel free to come have a Look, Like, Follow or spread the word.

Thanks so much &#128075;&#128591;✌


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## milo001 (Nov 26, 2008)

Sometimes I did that as well.


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