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The urge is always there: with their jagged, bitten nails, my fingers take on a mind of their own. They dig deep into my skin, gnawing at blemishes and ripping up cuts, scabs, pimples, insect bites, and so on. My bright-red skin shouts at me to stop. But I can’t. Even if I’m bleeding, infected or scarred, I can’t stop scratching. Trust me, I’ve tried. And with the ongoing pandemic, the compulsion has only gotten worse.
Dermatillomania is a chronic skin-picking condition that is estimated to affect 1.4 per cent of the population. Beyond the discomfort of continuously picking your skin, dermatillomania can cause a whole host of other problems as picking creates scabs and, in some cases, leads to serious infections, sometimes to the point where a patient requires antibiotics. It can also leave behind scars, which can require professional treatments including lasers to improve, while some will never go away even with treatment. It’s taken me a long
Compulsive scab picking may be a symptom of a health condition known as dermatillomania.
Although picking a scab might seem harmless, in some cases, it can lead to more serious health complications that require medical treatment.
This article discusses the complications a person may have when picking a scab, when to contact a doctor, some treatment options, and more.
Is it bad to pick scabs?
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If possible, a person should avoid picking at their scabs, pimples, or other skin irregularities or conditions. Picking at a scab can lead to issues such as scarring or infection.
According to the