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Picking my skin solves my problems

  • Serial
Hand drawn comic with a pale green textured background. Two people are talking to each other. One says to the other, "I think I've told you that when I'm stressed, I pick my skin?". The other person, slightly disinterest as they go to drink from their coffee cup, replies "Yeah. Are you currently stressed?".
Picking My Skin, Solves My Problems. © Mads Horwath for Wellcome Collection.

Dermatillomania, otherwise known as skin-picking disorder, is a mental health condition that causes somebody to compulsively pick at their skin until it bleeds. It can be brought on by stress, shame, anxiety, and even boredom. This series by Mads Horwath brings a humorous attention to this disorder in an attempt to reduce shame.

  • Comic

The upsides of dermatillomania

Everything needs a silver lining.

  • Comic

I’m not ashamed

Don’t let picking your scars stop you from enjoying nature’s bounty.

  • Comic

Can you tell I’m stressed?

When your friends need to read the signs.

  • Comic

Guillotine

Sometimes the solution isn’t worth the trouble.

  • Comic

No solution

We all need to relieve stress.

  • Comic

Save the world

It’s harder than you’d think.

  • Comic

Rod with a prod

You’ve got a friend in Rod.

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Voyage

The root of picking really is just skin deep.

  • Comic

Walk it off

When skin picking really is a disorder and interferes with life.

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Mom's solution

Mother may well know best in this case.

  • Comic

My backstory

A more vulnerable exposé on my dermatillomania.

Part6

The upsides of dematomallia

Available 23 August 2024

About the artist

Comic avatar of a person drinking from a large container which has the word 'pesticides' written on the side.

Mads Horwath

Mads Horwath is an American cartoonist living in London. You can find their work in The New Yorker and Financial Times. Mads has lived with dermatillomania since they were a kid and got scars from a poison-ivy rash.