How to Stop Skin Picking on Fingers

Co-authored by Alina Goldenberg MD, MAS, FAAD and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: July 7, 2022 References

We all pick at our skin occasionally, especially if we have a hangnail or some dry skin. But if you can’t stop picking at your fingers or you do it even without thinking, you might have something called skin picking disorder (also known as excoriation). This sounds a little intense, but don’t worry—it’s actually super common, so you aren’t alone. In this article, we’ve provided some helpful tricks you can use to stop picking the skin on your fingers for good. And, if those don’t work, we’ve provided some mental health resources you can use to address any underlying issues that might be contributing to your skin picking.

1

Keep your nails short.

It’s way harder to pick your skin without long nails. If you notice that your nails are getting long enough to pick and scratch your skin, grab the nail clippers and cut them down short. If they’re still feeling a little sharp, use a nail file to file them down and smooth them out so you can’t pick your fingers as easily.^{[1]
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Harvard Medical School
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- On the flip side, some people find that having long, fake nails helps them stop picking because it’s harder to get a good grip on your skin. If you do go for fake nails, choose rounded or square ones so you can’t jab them into your skin or scratch yourself easily.

2

Wear a pair of gloves.

When you feel like you’re going to pick, cover up your fingers. Keep a thin pair of gloves nearby so you can slide them on at any time. During the winter, you could try thick, wool gloves to keep your hands warm—in the spring and summer, try thin, mesh gloves that allow air flow so you don’t get too hot.^{[2]
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Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public
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- If there are certain times you know you’re likely to pick (like at night when you’re going to bed), put your gloves on as a preventative measure until waiting until you actually start to pick your fingers.
- No gloves around? No problem! Grab a few bandages and wrap them around your fingers to make it harder for you to pick your skin.

3

Distract your hands with a fidget toy.

Maybe your hands just need something else to do! Reach for a fidget spinner, some silly putty, a stress ball, or a tangle toy. Now, your hands will be busy, and you won’t have the ability to pick your skin anymore.^{[3]
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Trustworthy Source
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public
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- You can find fidget spinners and stress balls that are small enough to keep in your pocket during the day. That way, you can take them to school or work with you.
- Have a garden that you like to work in? Go outside and distract yourself by weeding or pruning your plants.

4

Keep your hands busy by drawing or writing.

When your dominant hand is busy, you won’t be able to use it to pick. Grab a pad of paper and a pencil and write down everything you did that day, or doodle something on the page that you want to draw. This is a great way to keep your hands busy if you’re bored but you can’t get up and leave, like during class or in a lecture.^{[4]
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- You could also try keeping a daily journal, which is beneficial both for keeping your hands busy and also to organize your thoughts.

5

Apply moisturizer instead of picking.

Do something with your hands, but something that will help them. When you feel like you want to pick, grab a bottle of lotion and apply a generous amount to moisturize and soothe your skin. The repetitive motion of smoothing moisturizer on your hands might be enough to satisfy you, and your skin will feel softer, too.^{[5]
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National Health Service (UK)
Public healthcare system of the UK
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- Plus, having slick, slippery hands can make it harder to get a grasp on your skin and pick at it, so it’s a win-win.
- Vaseline is a great over the counter skin barrier repair moisturizer which can help occlude the skin and allow it to heal.^{[6]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Alina Goldenberg MD, MAS, FAAD
  Board Certified Dermatologist
  Expert Interview. 18 August 2021.}
- The best time to apply a moisturizer is overnight. Keep the finger covered with a bandage or tape to avoid further picking overnight.^{[7]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Alina Goldenberg MD, MAS, FAAD
  Board Certified Dermatologist
  Expert Interview. 18 August 2021.}

6

Put ointment on any sore spots.

Soothing your pain can help you stop thinking about your fingers. If you have any spots where you’ve picked recently and they’re starting to hurt, try using an antibacterial cream on your fingers to stop the pain. Hopefully, if you reduce your discomfort, you can start thinking about something else instead of trying to pick your skin.^{[8]
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Research source}
- If you have any open wounds or scabs, cover them up with bandages until they heal. It will both protect them from infection and also keep them covered so you don’t pick at them absent-mindedly.

7

Ask other people keep an eye on you.

Warn a friend or a family member that you might try to pick your skin. If you often look down and realize that you’re picking without even thinking about it, having someone else look out for you can be helpful. Try telling someone close to you that you’re around a lot to gently stop you if they notice that you’re picking at your fingers.^{[9]
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National Health Service (UK)
Public healthcare system of the UK
Go to source}
- Say something like, “You might have noticed that I like to pick at the skin around my fingers a lot, but I’m trying to stop. If you see me doing it, will you just let me know? That way, I can break the habit a little easier.”

8

Manage your stress levels.

Stress and anxiety can make you pick at your skin even more. Although we all experience stressful days every now and then, if you’re feeling stressed every single day, it can negatively impact your mental health.^{[10]
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Expert Source

Mental Health America
Non-Profit Organization
Expert Interview.} Try doing things like meditation and yoga to calm yourself down and lower your overall stress levels.^{[11]
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Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
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- Try to get enough sleep, too. Experts note that when you’re tired, you might zone out more often, which can lead to skin picking without you even realizing.

9

Avoid your triggers.

Try to track what makes you pick your skin more often. For a lot of people, they pick when they’re feeling nervous, anxious, or stressed. Although it can be tough to avoid these things altogether (we all feel a little frazzled sometimes), being aware of what makes you pick more can help you stop the urges in their tracks.^{[12]
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Trustworthy Source
National Health Service (UK)
Public healthcare system of the UK
Go to source}
- Skin picking is also sometimes caused by boredom, so make sure you bring plenty of things to keep your mind busy with you when you’re out and about.
- You might warn yourself in your head by saying something like, “I’m feeling pretty anxious right now, and I know when I’m anxious I tend to pick. I’m going to keep my hands in my lap and make sure I don’t pick at my fingers while I sit here.”

10

See a therapist if you’re struggling to quit on your own.

Research shows that therapy is the best treatment for skin picking. If you’ve never been to a mental health professional before, you might consider talking to one if you really can’t control your skin picking.^{[13]
X
Expert Source

Mental Health America
Non-Profit Organization
Expert Interview.} They can help you figure out where your skin picking comes from, what causes it, and how to suppress the urge to pick when it happens.^{[14]
X
Trustworthy Source
International OCD Foundation
Non-profit organization dedicated to helping everyone affected by Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and related disorders to live full and productive lives.
Go to source}

11

Ask a doctor about medications if you need more help.

Anti-anxiety and anti-depressant medicines may be able to help you. If you’ve already talked to a mental health professional but that’s not really working out, try asking your doctor about medication.^{[15]
X
Expert Source

Mental Health America
Non-Profit Organization
Expert Interview.} You don’t have to try it if you don’t want to, but research shows that addressing your underlying conditions can really help stop your urges to pick your skin.^{[16]
X
Trustworthy Source
International OCD Foundation
Non-profit organization dedicated to helping everyone affected by Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and related disorders to live full and productive lives.
Go to source}
- All medications come with side effects, so talk to your doctor about the benefits vs. the risks before you start on any meds.

Expert Q&A

Question

How do you heal a skin picking wound on your finger?

Alina Goldenberg MD, MAS, FAAD
Board Certified Dermatologist
Dr. Alina Goldenberg is a Board Certified Dermatologist. She specializes in allergic contact and atopic dermatitis, patch testing, skin cancer screening and treatment, and medical and cosmetic dermatology. Dr. Goldenberg has published numerous peer-reviewed publications, textbook chapters and received grants and awards from organizations such as the National Institutes of Health and the American Skin Association. She holds a BA in Public Health from The University of California, Berkeley, a MAS in Clinical Research, and an MD from The University of California, San Diego.

Alina Goldenberg MD, MAS, FAAD

Board Certified Dermatologist

Expert Answer

Try applying a moisturizer to protect it. If the area appears red, swollen, draining or painful, though, it should be evaluated for an infection.