Self‐Injurious Skin Picking: Clinical Characteristics, Assessment Methods, and Treatment Modalities

Self-injurious skin picking is characterized by repetitive, ritualistic, or impulsive skin manipulation that results in tissue damage. It occurs in the absence of an underlying dermatologic condition and causes significant distress or impairment in daily functioning. The present article reviews the clinical characteristics of self-injurious skin picking, methods for assessing this problem, and modalities of treatment. A clinical vignette describes the implementation and outcome of cognitive-behavioral therapy for a patient with self-injurious skin picking and comorbid body dysmorphic disorder. [Brief Treatment and Crisis Intervention 3:249–260 (2003)]