Cognitive behavioral therapy for excoriation (skin picking) disorder

Abstract

In spite of excoriation (skin picking) disorder being first described in 1875, it has not yet been fully studied and understood. Furthermore over the years it has received multiple names (neurotic excoriation, psychogenic excoriation, pathological skin picking, compulsive skin picking) and only since late 2012 it has been included in diagnostic guidelines. Excoriation (skin picking) disorder can be a challenging condition for the non-experienced physician. Cognitive behavioral therapy is the most common form of (and most effective in our experience) psychotherapy for the treatment of patients with excoriation (skin picking) disorder and other body-focused repetitive behaviors, such as trichotillomania. In this review article, we present the main elements of this type of psychotherapy in the treatment of these psychodermatology patients.

Keywords

• excoriation disorder
• skin picking
• treatment
• cognitive behavioral therapy