26/08/2026
Do you find yourself touching your skin more when youâre stressed?
You know that little thing you doâŚ
You look in the mirror, notice a bump, feel it with your finger, then have another look.
And before you know it, youâve squeezed it.
Then you look at your skin afterwards and think:
âWhy did I do that? I knew I was going to make it worse.â
I see this quite often.
And itâs not always about acne. Sometimes itâs just checking your skin, feeling the texture, scratching a dry area or trying to get rid of something that doesnât feel quite right.
Stress can make this behaviour more likely, but so can boredom, anxiety, habit or simply being very focused on your skin.
The problem is that once you start picking, you can create more inflammation and irritation, and with acne, this can increase the chance of marks and scarring.
So instead of getting annoyed with yourself, try something different.
Notice it.
Ask yourself:
âWhat was I feeling just before I started touching my skin?â
Stress?
Boredom?
Anxiety?
Or was I just looking too closely?
You donât have to be perfect.
Just becoming aware of the habit is already a step towards changing it.
Best to do is: look at it⌠and leave it alone. đ§Ą
Healthy skin starts with understanding your skin, not fighting it. đ§Ą