Shereene IdrissBoard Certified Derm, Founder and Chief Nerd

Hair Picking Stitch #scalpcare #scalppsoriasis

8 Apr 2025 · 1 min

Watch on YouTube

0:54

Short YouTube monologue (creator: Shereene Idriss) advising viewers not to pick scalp scabs. The speaker warns picking can cause infection and permanent hair follicle damage leading to localized permanent hair loss, emphasizes emotional impact (depression after hair loss), and offers practical mitigation strategies (keep fingernails short; use fidget items such as fidget widgets, rosemary beads or rosary beads) to avoid picking.

Chapters

Maybe I was just crazy. Maybe that honestly looks like it felt good. But we do not want to do this. Do not do this. Yes, you may think that you are buffing your scalp into smooth bowling ball perfection when you get rid of those little scabs, but the reality is you are worsening your problem. And I know you want to do it. Trust me. I've wanted to pick before, but we got to keep our nails short. Don't look at me. See, as I say, not as I do. Why? Because you can cause infection. And not only that. Okay, if we're not worried about the medical aspect, let's be vain. You can go bald. If you keep picking at those spots on your scalp, you can lose your hair follicles and your hair will never grow again in that area. And yes, I am fear mongering you, because, yes, that can happen. And you will be really, really, really depressed once you lose your hair. So keep your fingers busy, get yourself a fidget widget, or whatever they're called, or rosemary beads, or rosary beads, whatever they're called, and keep your fingernails short.