Excoriation Disorder (Skin-Picking)

Break the Cycle. Calm the Urge. Heal from Within.

What Is Excoriation Disorder?

Excoriation Disorder, also known as Skin-Picking Disorder or Dermatillomania, is a mental health condition involving repetitive picking at the skin, often to the point of bleeding, scarring, or infection. While it may start with a focus on blemishes, scabs, or perceived imperfections, it can quickly become a distressing, uncontrollable behavior.

At Alleviant Integrated Mental Health, we treat excoriation disorder not as a bad habit, but as a neurological and emotional regulation issue, it’s part of a broader group of conditions called body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs). We use neuroscience, therapy, and whole-person care to help calm your nervous system and restore balance from the inside out.

 

Signs You May Be Struggling with Excoriation Disorder

You may be living with skin-picking disorder if you:

  • Repeatedly pick at your skin (face, arms, hands, scalp, etc.), often daily

  • Pick in response to stress, anxiety, boredom, or to “fix” perceived imperfections

  • Feel relief or satisfaction after picking, followed by guilt or shame

  • Have visible skin damage, scars, or infections from picking

  • Try but struggle to stop or control the behavior

  • Avoid social situations due to embarrassment about your skin

Excoriation disorder often co-occurs with anxiety, OCD, trauma, or depression, and is more common than many people realize.

 

Our Brain-Based, Integrative Approach

At Alleviant, we treat the root causes of skin-picking by understanding what’s happening in your brain and body, not just focusing on the behavior. Our Objective Psychiatry model combines brain mapping, psychiatry, therapy, and integrative supports to help you feel more regulated, calm, and in control.

Your personalized treatment plan may include:

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Comprehensive Psychiatry (In-Person or Telehealth)

Our psychiatry services provide thoughtful evaluation and personalized treatment to support emotional stability, improve daily functioning, and promote long-term mental wellness.

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Medication Management

Certain medications—like SSRIs, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), or other options—can reduce compulsive urges and support emotional stability. We guide choices based on your symptoms and brain profile.

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Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

These personalized brain stimulation therapies help retrain dysregulated brain circuits involved in repetitive behaviors, which is especially effective for treatment-resistant cases.

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Therapy (In-Person or Telehealth)

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Habit Reversal Training (HRT), and Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) help increase awareness, reduce picking urges, and build healthier coping mechanisms.

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Spectral EEG (sEEG)

We use a non-invasive scan to visualize brainwave patterns associated with compulsive behaviors, stress reactivity, and emotional dysregulation to target your care precisely.

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Health Coaching (Telehealth)

We explore how inflammation, gut health, sleep, and hormone imbalances may be contributing to nervous system stress and urge-driven behaviors, supporting full-body healing.

Ready to Take Back Control?

Excoriation disorder can feel isolating and frustrating, but you don’t have to navigate it by yourself. With the right support, you can reduce the urge, heal your skin, and rebuild your confidence.

Click below or call your local Alleviant clinic to schedule an appointment. We’ll work with you to create a plan that fits your brain, your body, and your life, with care that’s as comprehensive as it is compassionate.

Schedule Your Appointment

Schedule an appointment today by calling us at (866) 951-4325 or by clicking below.

In-person and virtual visits are available.

Insurances Accepted

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This is not an inclusive list as we are in-network with most major insurances.