A Case Report of Pimple Popping: A Little-known, Body-focused Repetitive Behavior

Objective: Body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs), such as skin picking and hair pulling, are ritualized actions leading to physical injury. Here, I intended to add a case report in the literature to describe clinical progression and successful multidisciplinary treatment of a patient with BFRBs. Case Report: A 37-year-old male patient, a minibus driver, presented himself with chronic self-inflicted skin lesions. Over two years, his compulsive pimple popping increased from self-grooming to an intrusive “trans-personal” ritual involving his family and even passengers. The behavior, triggered by anxiety and reinforced by digital media (pimple-popping videos), caused profound social withdrawal and occupational dysfunction. Following a diagnosis of BFRBs and comorbid depressive disorder, he was treated with a combination of sertraline (100 mg/day) and habit reversal training successivefully. Conclusion: The patient showed remarkable clinical recovery after receiving combined pharmacotherapy and behavioral intervention. Clinicians, particularly in dermatology and primary care, must remain vigilant for BFRBs presenting with atypical social manifestations.