Compassionate, evidence-based support for compulsive skin picking — delivered by a BABCP accredited therapist and NMC registered mental health nurse, at a pace that respects where you are.
Skin picking, also known as dermatillomania or excoriation disorder, is a compulsive habit that can be difficult to stop despite genuine attempts to do so. It often develops as a way of managing stress, anxiety or boredom, and can lead to visible marks or scarring that carry a lot of private shame.
Treatment is led personally by Arlene Alexander-Price — an NMC registered mental health nurse since 2004 and a BABCP accredited therapist of close to two decades' standing — most often through CBT and habit reversal techniques, without judgement.
Explore the signs ↓
A calm, confidential space — treatment paced around you, not the other way round.
Approach
CBT, Habit Reversal
Session
Up to 60 Minutes
Format
In Person or Virtual
From
£70 per Session
Low Cost rate available for those receiving qualifying state benefits — see full Prices.
Skin picking can take different forms — picking at spots, scabs, dry skin or perceived blemishes — but it shares a common thread: a repetitive behaviour that feels hard to control, often triggered by stress, boredom or intense focus.
It's a recognised Body-Focused Repetitive Disorder, and one that responds well to a structured, compassionate approach.
Select each one to read more — recognising the pattern is often the first step toward doing something about it.
Picking at skin, scabs, spots or perceived imperfections, often for extended periods and sometimes without full awareness.
Skin damage, scarring, or sores that result from repeated picking, particularly on the face, arms, hands or scalp.
The behaviour often increases during moments of anxiety, boredom or intense concentration, functioning as a way to regulate feeling.
Repeated efforts to reduce or stop picking that haven't lasted, sometimes followed by frustration or a sense of losing control.
Significant time spent picking, checking skin in mirrors, or using make-up and clothing to cover the effects.
Hiding the behaviour or its effects from others, and feeling embarrassed or ashamed, even though this pattern is common and treatable.
Three stages, kept simple and paced around you.
A first conversation to understand the picking, its triggers, and confirm the right approach.
Focused, up to 60-minute sessions, using habit reversal techniques to build awareness and alternatives.
Regular check-ins, ending with a clear plan to manage triggers and prevent relapse long-term.
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Clients supported at AAP Psychological Therapies since 2004 — many of them starting exactly where you are now.
This is not a crisis service. If you need urgent support, please contact your GP, NHS 111, or the Samaritans on 116 123. In an emergency, call 999.
