Body-Focused Repetitive Behavior (BFRB)

Hair Pulling Disorder (also known as Trichotillomania or Trich) is a BFRB that involves excessive hair pulling. Hair is often pulled from the scalp, eyelashes, eyebrows, arms, legs, and/or pubic areas. People with Hair Pulling Disorder are often aware of different textures of their hair and target those that seem coarse or not properly aligned. Hair pulling may lead to bald spots on the scalp or elimination of eyelashes or eyebrows. Hair pulling is commonly done with finger pads, fingernails, or tweezers, with each tweezer targeting a different type of hair.

Video: Hair Pulling Disorder (aka Trichotillomania or Trich)

Nail Biting Disorder (Onychophagia) is a BFRB that involves the habitual and destructive biting of nails. This chronic disorder may lead to skin infections as well as dental problems. Nail biting also can enable harmful bacteria and viruses to spread from your hands to your mouth. Nail Biting Disorder is often not recognized as an issue until there is major damage to the nail bed and surrounding skin. CBIT and ComB Habit Reversal Training is highly effective at breaking the cycle of habitual nail biting.

Skin Picking Disorder (also known as Excoriation) and Skin Scratching Disorder are BFRBs that involve excessive skin picking or scratching, resulting in scabs, scars, open wounds, and infection. Target areas on the skin tend to be dry, bumpy, or have an imperfection such as a pimple or scab. Skin recovering from surgery is also often picked at, prolonging recovery and creating an uneven surface that will continue to be targeted.  Skin picking is commonly done with finger pads and fingernails.

Video: skin picking disorder

The scalp, fingers, arms, legs, feet, face, genitals, and buttocks, are commonly picked and scratched.

Onychotillomania is a BFRB that involves excessive picking, pulling, and manicuring of nails. This repetitive behavior is often highly noticeable and painful, making it difficult to do some everyday tasks.

Lip Biting Disorder and Lip Picking Disorder are BFRBs that cause damage to the lips. Dry and scabbed skin are often targeted. Damage to the lips can make drinking, eating, talking, playing some instruments, and kissing painful.

Video: lip picking disorder

Cheek Biting Disorder (Cheek Keratosis) is a BFRB that involves biting the inner cheek, causing ulcerations, sores, inflammation, and/or a callous like formation. Cheek Biting can make eating, drinking, talking, singing, and brushing teeth painful.

Tongue Chewing is a BFRB that involves chronic chewing of the tongue, resulting in sores and callouses. Tongue chewing can impair the ability to eat and drink and communicate verbally.

Nose Picking Disorder (Rhinotillexomania) is a BFRB that involves chronic nose picking with fingers. NPD often destroys structures in the nose and frequently leads to infection. The disorder often begins in childhood and leads to teasing, embarrassment, and isolation. Nose picking often occurs in public situations due to lack of awareness that the behavior is ocurring.

Sucking on a pacifier or thumb is a common way for infants and toddlers to self-soothe. Thumb sucking in older children or adults is often also self-soothing and due to a Body-Focused Repetitive Behavior. Excessive thumb sucking can shift the position of front teeth and lead to oral surgery.