Critical Analysis

Before I had the chance to appear on The Doctors and receive twelve weeks of therapy for my skin picking, I heard about varied levels of success those with trichotillomania had using the dietary supplement, N-Acetylcysteine (NAC). At the time, Dr. Jon E. Grant had only completed a trichotillomania trial because excoriation disorder was not a diagnosable condition before the DSM-5 was released in 2013.

Coaching professions such as life, holistic, financial, health, quantum, etc., can assist people looking to improve their overall wellness or reach their next goal in life. While searching for help with your excoriation disorder, you may come across a Skin Picking Coach- but can they treat you for what the average mental health professional is not trained to? Are there any out there who are actually qualified to help you manage such a complex compulsion?

PickFix™ is an essential oil/ serum marketed to people who have a “nasty habit” of picking their skin for $28 USD/ $48 CDN. The choice of words presented on Carter + Jane’s website shames potential customers by stigmatizing the results of an anxious behavior. Immediately my alarm bells go off as people with excoriation disorder are being targeted and offered hope that this product will mysteriously manage the compulsive nature behind their body-focused repetitive behavior (BFRB).

With awareness of Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs) beginning to gain traction across the world, it is important to discuss how disorders such as dermatillomania affects a person’s quality of life. From social isolation to embarrassment of marks, most people who compulsively pick at their skin keep it a secret so that they won’t be judged […]