Trichotillomania & Dermatillomania Self Care Sheet
Hi guys, my name is Melanie and I have trich and derma. I’m not on any medications, I don’t attend any help meetings, it’s basically just me and the occasional tumblr user talking about our shared experience and how we cope. Since I’ve seen a lot of self-help lists on tumblr for anxiety, depression, and the likes, I figured that we trichies and dermas could use a list of our own.
What is trichotillomania? : symptoms and treatment
Do I have trichotillomania?
What is dermatillomania? : symptoms and treatment
Do I have dermatillomania?
How to keep from picking while at school/work/the movies/other places where you need to stay still
Chewing gum is an easy way to help feel like you’re still in “motion” or letting out stress. Popping bubbles, or working through a tough wad of gum, produces the same feeling of release that goes with pulling hair/working out a stubborn itch.
Chewing on flavored toothpicks is another way to help keep your body in motion. Personally, I like the Tea Tree Therapy Cinnamon Toothpicks which can be bought online, or from (most) organic grocery stores.
Don’t like toothpicks or gum? Ginger candies or licorice will be our savior. They’re small, but really chewy, and they don’t leave a funny aftertaste like gum does.
Paint. your. nails. If you don’t like to wear colored nail polish, buff the edges off your nails so that they’re dull, and coat them with a clear polish. The bright colors will catch your eyes and remind you not to pick, while the dulled nails will keep you from doing very much harm.
Learn origami. One of the main reasons why you pick is because your hands don’t have anything to do and are looking for “relief.” If you can learn how to make a simple crane, it will help enormously.
Get a cheap sticker (like one of the $0.50 ones from the coin machines) and stick it on the back of your phone case. Pick at it through the day until it fully comes off, then replace it. Keep your nails busy with non-destructive things.
While watching movies at home, keep your hands occupied. Knitting and crocheting are two very good things to pick up since they require the full use of both hands.
Tips for not picking at your face/hair
If you’re struggling with picking at your eyelashes, wear mascara. I can not stress this enough. Go with a light mascara that’s not water proof, doesn’t clump up, and isn’t “heavy” feeling on your lashes.
Nail polish and nail buffing. It will save your face.
Keep your face acne free, if possible. Wash your face every night and try to stay away from food that you know make you break out. No zits = no bumps on your face to worry at.
Tips for not picking at your chest/shoulders/arms
Wear a necklace with a charm that you can play with whenever you reach up to start picking at your chest.
Instead of grabbing and pinching, stroke and feel your arms. Pretend that you’re blind and you’re memorizing the topography of your skin by touch.
Textured band-aids are fantastic, especially the fabric ones from CVS or Walgreens. Stick one on your arm – bonus points if it’s over one of your picking spots – and run it under your fingers for comfort.
Tips for not picking at other parts of your body
If you need to pick your hair, use tweezers. They won’t harm your skin as much and reduce the risk of the area becoming inflamed from irritation.
Be cleanly shaved. Not bald, but keep your hair short enough that your nails wont be able to grip it
For your legs, more fabric band-aids. If you’re feeling festive, go with multi-colored band-aids. Just keep your trouble spots covered up.
What to do about bald spots
don’t stress out about it. You can fix up most, if not all, bald spots with a bit of makeup.
Fill in your missing eyebrows with eyebrow pencils. If you have light eyebrows, go with the “blonde” pencil and just have slightly darker eyebrows until your hair grows back in.
if you have hair missing in the front of your head, try to find an eyeshadow that’s close to you hair color (always shoot for a little darker) and lightly dust the spot so that it looks semi-natural. Here’s a tutorial
The eyeshadow trick is fantastic if your hairline is uneven from picking.
If you have bald spots at the back of your head and you have long hair, wear buns and ponytails for a while. For shorter hair, try french braids. For very short hair, go with the eyeshadow trick.
What to do about skin picking spots
Take care of yourself. If you have any scratches that have broken the skin, you need to put a dab of tea tree oil on the cut to help speed healing. The smell is also very calming.
At night, moisturize any skin that you’ve been picking/worrying at through the day.
Dry and bumpy skin is going to be picked at. Moisturize that skin and put a light band-aid over it so that you wont try to touch it through the day
Final words of encouragement
Don’t let people get you down about your picking.
You will scar, and that’s okay. Each one of your shiny skin marks is going to show that you’re living life and moving forwards as a person.
You’re going to have your good days, and your bad days, but your hair will grow back and your skin will heal.
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