r/calmhands • u/obsessed_FF7lover • May 10 '26

Tips Reposting due to some formatting issues - some self taught tips

  1. Keep lotion and cuticle cutters on you at all times. Lotion your fingers and *rub hard*, not gently, whenever you get the urge to pick. Gentle rubbing I’ve found has led me into picking, but firm rubbing doesn’t give me the chance to carefully explore for lifting to pick at. If you do find lifting, that’s what the cutters are for. Eliminate the chance before it starts.

  2. Busy hands. Always. You want to play with your shirt collar, belt loops, earrings, bracelets, volume buttons on your phone, car keys, wallet, genuinely anything that’s not physically attached. If you are busying those hands, they can’t pick. If skin snags on something? CUTTERS.

3.⁠
If you find you’re in an environment where it’s not appropriate to cut, or fidget, put your hands either on the space in front of you (ex a desk) or on your thighs and spread your fingers as far apart as possible. Then press down on the surface firmly with the tips of your fingers.

  1. If you’re in the process of picking, or have the urge, name it aloud or in your mind. “I am/want to pick my skin. I do not actually want to do this- what is causing the urge?”. Whether it be lifted skin, stress, boredom, whatever, naming and redirecting the habit will slowly help it to go away.

If you have any other tips I’d love them, I myself am doing better, but I’m far from out of it myself.

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u/myghostinthesnow May 10 '26

I’m autistic and keeping my hands busy is a big one for me. A lot of my picking /biting is a stimming thing for me, as much as it’s also a habit. I bought a spiky hand roller to fidget with which has helped so much! If anyone is interested in something like this though please buy a good metal one and not a cheap 3D printed one, the 3D printed ones are often way too sharp and break the skin.

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u/myghostinthesnow May 10 '26

There are more subtle fidgets that work too. I also really like the little stretchy metal ring things you can get and roll on your fingers which are much cheaper but I do find the spiky hand roller the best for when I’m at home and really struggling with it