The recognition and treatment of pathological skin picking: a potential neurobiological underpinning of the efficacy of pharmacotherapy in impulse control disorders.

Abstract

Pathological skin picking is an impulse control disorder that causes significant anxiety and disfigurement to those afflicted. Standard therapy with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor provides variable and often suboptimal responses. We report a case of pathological skin picking treated with paliperidone, a 5-HT2/D2 antagonist.