A Case Report of Pimple Popping: A Little-known, Body-focused Repetitive Behavior
TAIWANESE JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY, cilt.40, sa.2, ss.123-126, 2026 (ESCI)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 40 Sayı: 2
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.4103/tpsy.tpsy_19_26
- Dergi Adı: TAIWANESE JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI)
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.123-126
- Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Objective:Body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs), such as skin picking and hair pulling, are ritualized actions leading to physical injury. Here, I intended to add a case report in the literature to describe clinical progression and successful multidisciplinary treatment of a patient with BFRBs.Case Report:A 37-year-old male patient, a minibus driver, presented himself with chronic self-inflicted skin lesions. Over two years, his compulsive pimple popping increased from self-grooming to an intrusive "trans-personal" ritual involving his family and even passengers. The behavior, triggered by anxiety and reinforced by digital media (pimple-popping videos), caused profound social withdrawal and occupational dysfunction. Following a diagnosis of BFRBs and comorbid depressive disorder, he was treated with a combination of sertraline (100 mg/day) and habit reversal training successivefully.Conclusion:The patient showed remarkable clinical recovery after receiving combined pharmacotherapy and behavioral intervention. Clinicians, particularly in dermatology and primary care, must remain vigilant for BFRBs presenting with atypical social manifestations.