N-Acetylcysteine (NAC): NAC is an amino acid that has shown promise in reducing compulsive behaviors, including skin picking, in some studies.
Talking therapy is currently thought to be an effective treatment to help change skin picking behaviour. If you're offered this, it'll usually be given through community mental health services.
Silicone gel or hydrogel sheets may be especially helpful if your sore is large or very red. Change your bandage daily to keep your sores clean while they heal. Use sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher on your sore after it has healed. Sun protection may help reduce discoloration and help your scar fade faster.
After 12 weeks, participants taking N-acetylcysteine had an average 38.3 percent reduction in skin-picking symptoms (as indicated by the modified Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale) compared with 19.3 percent for the placebo group.
Magnesium is believed to play a role in nervous system stabilization and hence relieves nervous-induced picking. It is important to consult a physician before taking any supplements for skin picking.
Doxepin. For its sedating and antipsychotic effects, doxepin (10-25 mg orally at bedtime) is a useful medication in treating neurotic excoriations.
In addition the study found that skin hydration improved almost two-fold within the first 6 hours after topical magnesium application. A significant increase in filaggrin levels was also noted after topical magnesium application. Filaggrin is a type of protein important to theskin's barrier function.
N-acetyl Cysteine Supplementation to Alleviate Skin Picking Disorder: A Case Report - PMC.
Strengthens Skin Barrier: A well-functioning barrier is crucial for healthy radiant skin. NAC optimises the overall environment for cells and proteins to work within the skin's deeper layers. This allows the skin barrier to hold onto moisture more effectively while keeping irritants out.
Paroxetine was reportedly effective in a case of psychogenic pruritus and neurotic excoriations. Lithium has been used to treat neurotic excoriations, but further study is needed. Dereli et al found that gabapentin is a useful treatment for recalcitrant chronic prurigo nodularis.
Current consensus suggests that CBT is the best treatment intervention for Excoriation (Skin-Picking) Disorder. A form of CBT called Habit Reversal Training (HRT) is considered to be the core approach.
“Post-picking, you want to keep your skin in a moist environment for optimal healing,” Nava Greenfield, M.D., a dermatologist who practices in Brooklyn, said. “Aquaphor is great until the skin has healed and then Bio-Oil or a silicone gel as a scar prevention.”
And Vaseline is an oldie but a goodie. The American Academy of Dermatology actually states that petroleum jelly helps prevent the wound from becoming a scab and heal quicker.
“Just stop” has to be just about the most unhelpful thing you could say to someone with dermatillomania. It's not a simple case of just stopping. I imagine if it were that easy, there would be no dermatillomania. For me, a lot of the time I've picked without even noticing that I'm doing it in the moment.
Skin picking disorder (also known as excoriation disorder or dermatillomania) is a common mental health disorder currently classified as an obsessive-compulsive and related condition. Despite being first described in the 1800s, very little is known about its phenomenology and clinical presentation.
It takes about a month or two (studies show 4-9 weeks) of NAC to show benefit. Taking a supplement for that length of time without benefit can be difficult and might cause some to quit prematurely, but I'd recommend at least two months before deciding it doesn't work.
Be sure to have your doctor check your homocysteine level if you are taking NAC. Very high doses (more than 7 grams) of cysteine may be toxic to human cells and may even lead to death. Taking NAC by mouth may cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is a supplement form of of the amino acid cysteine. You get cysteine by eating high-protein foods such as beef, chicken, eggs, and whole grains. Your body can also make some cysteine by combining two other amino acids: serine and methionine.
Excoriation Disorder
It is also known as dermatillomania. People with this condition will pick their skin to the point where it can cause bleeding or other damage to the skin.
Recently, N-acetylcisteine, a glutamate modulator, has shown efficacy in the treatment of trichotillomania and other compulsive behaviors, and is considered a new alternative in the management of this condition.
About 50% of people worldwide have low vitamin D levels. And between 10% and 30% of the population are thought to have low levels of magnesium. For many people, it's important to take vitamin D and magnesium together. Without magnesium, your body can't use vitamin D.
Best Time to Take: Evening or before bed. Magnesium for digestive health, especially if you use it for constipation relief, is most effective when taken at night. This timing allows it to work overnight, promoting a morning bowel movement.