The habit of scratching scabs is hard to break and can lead to dangerous and unsightly situations such as infections, blemishes and scars. If it is a compulsive gesture, it could be a symptom of a body-centered obsessive-compulsive disorder, defined as "dermotillomania". Although it is quite difficult, you can get rid of this behavior with patience, commitment and, if necessary, outside help.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Treating the Scabs
Step 1. Disinfect the wound
Open lesions are prone to infection, which is why you need to wash them thoroughly with soap and water as soon as you get them. Follow with applying an antibacterial cream such as Neosporin or cleaning the area with a disinfectant wipe. Finally, apply a gauze or plaster to protect the wound as it heals. These basic precautions will help keep the site clean and prevent infections.
Step 2. Protect the scab
This forms over the wound to prevent germs from entering the body while it is repairing the epithelial cells and tissue. It is vital to help the healing process by protecting this natural barrier.
- If you can't wrap it, try applying a lotion or moisturizer during the healing phase. Scabs are often itchy and feel tight as tissues heal, so lotion can help with this. in doing so, there is less chance of a scar forming. The gentle massage required to apply the cream improves circulation and helps the healing process.
- Take a nail file and smooth the scab until it is flush with the surrounding skin. This way, when you touch the area, you will be less tempted to scrape off the scab.
Step 3. Prevent scabs
Make sure that few are formed by using quality skin care products. Make sure they don't cause blemishes that you will be tempted to remove.
Part 2 of 3: Losing the Habit
Step 1. Analyze your behavior
There are many reasons why you scratch your scabs, from purely physical (the itch) to mental or emotional (maybe it's a way to get rid of the tension). If you can understand its origins, you are well on your way to breaking this automatism.
- Not all people who remove scabs have a behavioral problem. Sometimes it is completely normal to scratch them. In other cases, however, it could be a sign of a dermatological problem, drug withdrawal or other pathologies. One can speak of behavioral disorder only when this action is so frequent that it interferes with other aspects of one's life.
- People get scabs off for various reasons. Some do it out of boredom, others do it to find relief from negative emotions, depression or stress. Sometimes it is completely unconscious behavior, while other times it is due to a sense of guilt.
- Keep a log to be aware of when, how and how often you remove your scabs, especially if you happen to do it without realizing it. Whenever you "catch yourself in the act," write it down in your journal.
Step 2. Set up effective strategies for dealing with the problem
When you have an idea of when and why you get scabs off, look for something that diverts your attention away from scabs or create a reminder not to scratch. To be able to control yourself you will have to try one or more techniques; study an effective strategy and rely on methods that suit your specific situation.
Step 3. Test yourself
If you are a highly motivated and competitive person, make getting rid of this habit a kind of competition. Set yourself a certain number of days or hours that you have to go without scratching and gradually increase this limit. Give yourself a reward for every major advance.
Step 4. Make it difficult to remove the scabs
One way to stop your habit is to make it physically complicated. Trim your nails, put on gloves, or cover the scabs. If you have short nails, it will be more difficult to get rid of the scabs. A bandage or band-aid will prevent you from seeing them and will help you resist temptation.
- Wear soft cotton gloves. These are not only a barrier, they also make you more aware of your behavior, thus helping you to limit it.
- If you have a tendency to scratch your arms or legs, wear long-sleeved dresses and pants whenever possible. If the scabs are on the ankles, put on long socks. This way, even if you give in to temptation, you will scratch the fabric instead of the skin.
Step 5. Put some acrylic fake nails
This is another trick to make your behavior almost impossible (besides the fact that you will have very nice hands). You will not be able to scratch yourself, because false nails have a greater thickness that cannot effectively penetrate the skin; on the contrary, sharp nails manage to lift the scab.
If you have decided to try this, ask the manicurist to make the nails as short and thick as possible; this is an extra guarantee not to run into your habit
Step 6. Replace the habit with something less destructive
When you feel the urge to scratch, then try to distract yourself by channeling your energies into something else. Try reading a book, taking a walk, or watching TV.
An activity that keeps your hands busy is even better; this is a trick that is often used to quit smoking. You can try drawing, gardening, knitting, making a puzzle, playing the piano, or making some crochet lace. Sometimes, just holding a coin or paper clip is enough; if nothing else is working, sit on your hands
Step 7. Give it a try with the practice of affirmation
Whenever you notice that you are scratching yourself, remember to respect your body. Press on the area where the scab is or swing your hand over it as a reminder of your love for yourself and your willingness to protect your skin. Repeat this practice before bedtime and when you wake up.
Step 8. Don't give in
At first it will take a long time to break this habit. However, if you succeed once, you can also do it a second time, and over time you will be able to reduce the frequency with which you scratch. Be proud of your progress. With patience and the right attention, you will gradually get rid of this vice.
Part 3 of 3: Resorting to Medicine
Step 1. Acknowledge that you have a problem
If it becomes an out of control habit, then scabbing is a sign of a far more serious behavioral disorder called "dermotillomania." People who suffer from it compulsively touch, scratch, pinch and rub the skin causing scarring and even worse injuries. If you find that your habit is completely out of control, ask for help.
- Do you spend a lot of time touching your scabs?
- Do you have any obvious scars due to this habit of yours?
- Do you feel guilty when you think about it?
- Does this mania affect your social and work interactions very negatively?
- If the answer is yes to more than one of these questions, you may be suffering from dermotillomania.
Step 2. See a doctor
The habit of removing the scabs could indicate dermotillomania or another condition, such as eczema or psoriasis. For these reasons it is essential to seek medical advice to find the underlying cause, regardless of whether it is independent behavior or the symptom of a systemic problem.
- There are many therapies for chronic dermotillomania. In some cases, drugs are needed to silence physical stimuli, while in others behavioral therapy is needed. When the doctor discovers the source of the problem, he recommends the most suitable treatment.
- Dermotillomania is a variant of obsessive-compulsive disorder due to the urge to perform repetitive behaviors.
- Your disorder could be related to depression, bipolar disorder, hyperactivity disorder, and an eating disorder. Other similar conditions include dysmorphophobia, trichotillomania (hair pulling) and nail biting.
Step 3. Get medical treatment
Your habit could be triggered by a physical problem and not a behavioral disorder. You may suffer from skin conditions such as eczema, an inflammation of the skin that causes itching. In this case, your doctor will prescribe medications, such as corticosteroids or other topical creams.
Remember that medications treat the condition that leads to physical symptoms that make you scratch, but they don't manage the habit itself. Even if the physical stimuli disappear, you may feel the psychological urge and need help
Step 4. Get psychological treatment
If the disorder has no physical cause and it is real dermotillomania, then you should go to a psychologist or psychiatrist for a consultation. One of the most used therapies, in these cases, is the cognitive-behavioral one (TCC).
- TCC is often used to help individuals replace their bad habits with positive ones. There are several therapeutic approaches to treat dermotillomania.
- Treatment may involve dermatological, antidepressant, anxiolytic, or antipsychotic therapy.
Step 5. Consider Habit Reversal Training (HRT)
This is a particular therapy, which is part of TCC, which is based on the idea that dermotillomania is a conditioned behavior. It helps the patient to recognize the situations that are more likely to lead him to scratch his scabs and to discourage this behavior by replacing it with different reactions, such as clenching fists to deal with the urge to scratch.
Step 6. Assess stimulus control
Also in this case, it is a method that softens the sensory stimuli present in the environment and that induce scratching the scabs, that is, to manage the so-called "high-risk situations". This therapy teaches to avoid the circumstances that trigger the behavior; for example, if your habit is stimulated by seeing your image in the mirror, you can change your behaviors when you are in the bathroom.
Warnings
- If you keep removing scabs, you run a higher risk of infection and scarring.
- See your doctor or emergency room if you develop a serious infection or are unable to control your behavior.
- As with any other medical situation, consult your doctor before taking any action.
