Many people bite their nails or occasionally find themselves chewing on a hangnail, but if you find yourself compulsively biting and eating the skin on your hands and fingers, you may have dermatophagia.
It's one type of body-focused repetitive behavior (BFRB).
It's not a habit or a tic, but rather a disorder. People with this condition gnaw at and eat their skin, leaving it bloody, damaged, and, in some cases, infected. The compulsion most frequently affects the hands, such as the cuticles and fingers.
Complications
Dermatophagia isn't typically the cause of serious medical complications, but in some cases, it can significantly affect your physical and mental health.
Some complications may include:
Infection
The most significant physical complication of dermatophagia is infection. When skin is left raw and open from biting, bacteria can enter the body through the wound. You should cover any sores or wounds to decrease the chances of infection.
Social isolation
In some cases, dermatophagia can cause people to become embarrassed about their behavior and withdraw from social interactions. This can lead to shame, low self-esteem, and depression.
Diagnosing dermatophagia
Dermatophagia and other similar BFRBs aren't included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). Instead, they fall under "other specified obsessive compulsive and related disorders."
The severity can vary greatly. BFRBs aren't considered a form of self-mutilation, such as cutting. People with BFRBs are typically engaging in the behavior to relieve stress or get pleasure from the act rather than to intentionally harm themselves. While BFRBs may result in bodily harm, it's unintentional.
If you see any signs of infection due to skin biting, you should seek medical attention as well.
Treatment
When the behavior feels out of your control, there are several treatment methods available.
Therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) may be effective in the treatment of BFRBs such as dermatophagia. This type of therapy focuses on thoughts and behaviors, and works toward adjusting behavioral responses to those thoughts.
Habit reversal training (HRT) may also be used. HRT involves awareness training, competing response training, and social support.
Medication
There are no medications specifically approved for the treatment of BFRBs, but some medications may help reduce symptoms and treat problems that often accompany them, such as anxiety and depression.
There are a wide range of holistic treatments and lifestyle changes that may help reduce the symptoms of dermatophagia, including: massage, acupuncture, hypnosis, stress reduction activities such as exercise, breathing exercises, and other healthy lifestyle choices, as well as replacement behaviors, such as chewing gum instead of biting skin.