Revista de investigación en dermatología clínica

The use of N acetylcysteine in Skin Picking Disorder

Katie Grounds

Skin picking disorder (SPD) is an under recognised devastating condition where individuals repeatedly pick on their skin leading to noticeable tissue destruction . Pathologic skin picking includes repetitive, impulsive picking of otherwise normal tissue leading to skin damage, psychological distress and impaired functioning. It remains a poorly understood condition where there is lacking of an effective pharmacological and psychological treatment. This brief case supports the use of N -acetylcysteine as a successful treatment option for SPD. From published studies, N Acetylcysteine (NAC) appears to be a safe medication which is widely accessible, and so we look forward to further clinical trials on its use in compulsive psych dermatology manifestations.