psychiatric disorders
Excoriation (Skin Picking) Disorder
Key Points
In excoriation (skin-picking) disorder, skin picking is not triggered by obsessions or concerns about appearance but may be preceded by a feeling of tension or anxiety that is relieved by the skin picking, often followed by a feeling of gratification. Patients with excoriation disorder try to stop picking their skin or to do it less often, but they cannot. Excoriation disorder causes visible skin lesions. Treat using cognitive-behavioral therapy that is tailored to treat specific excoriation symptoms (including habit reversal training) and/or an SSRI,clomipramine,N-acetylcysteine, ormemantine. 