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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Causes A Person To Pick At Scalp Leading To Scab Formation?

I think my friend has a skin issue...she picks at her scalp until scabs are there....then she picks her scabs and eats the scab along with the scalp skin on it. I think she does it to feel pain because she has done other self-inflictted pain methods such as cutting. She has depression and I looked up online these symptoms and there are many different disorders that come up...what is it?
Mon, 24 Nov 2014
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Psychiatrist,  's  Response
Hello thanks for asking from HCM

The symptoms like picking the scalp again and again till scabs are formed could be due to some underlying anxiety. Some times severe anxiety compels individual to pick skin, pluck hair or to bite nails. These symptoms fall in impulsive control disorder of psychiatric disorders. The patients of depression are at risk to develop such symptoms. She has other symptoms like self inflicting wounds also. I would advise you to take her to a psychiatrist for re-evaluation. Medicines especially SSRIs as Fluoxetine are very useful in such compulsive skin picking. In addition to this iron and vitamin B12 supplements have good results in such symptoms.

Apart from medicines behaviour therapy is also very useful in such disorders. Consult a psychiatrist for proper treatment and prescription of these drugs.

Thanks, hope this helps you
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What Causes A Person To Pick At Scalp Leading To Scab Formation?

Hello thanks for asking from HCM The symptoms like picking the scalp again and again till scabs are formed could be due to some underlying anxiety. Some times severe anxiety compels individual to pick skin, pluck hair or to bite nails. These symptoms fall in impulsive control disorder of psychiatric disorders. The patients of depression are at risk to develop such symptoms. She has other symptoms like self inflicting wounds also. I would advise you to take her to a psychiatrist for re-evaluation. Medicines especially SSRIs as Fluoxetine are very useful in such compulsive skin picking. In addition to this iron and vitamin B12 supplements have good results in such symptoms. Apart from medicines behaviour therapy is also very useful in such disorders. Consult a psychiatrist for proper treatment and prescription of these drugs. Thanks, hope this helps you