Dermatophagia

Behavior

People with dermatophagia chew their skin out of compulsion, and can do so on a variety of places on their body. Those with dermatophagia typically chew the skin surrounding their fingernails and joints. They also chew on the bottom of their feet/toes, inside of their mouth, cheeks, and/or lips, causing blisters in and outside of the mouth. If the behavior is left unchecked for an extended period, calluses may start to develop where most of the biting is done.

Skin chewing can be bolstered by times of apprehension and other unpleasant events. People who have dermatophagia can also be prone to infection as when they bite their fingers so frequently, they make themselves vulnerable to bacteria seeping in and causing infection. Dermatophagia can be considered a "sister" disorder to trichophagia, which involves compulsively biting and eating one's hair.

Management

Habit reversal training and variants thereof, like decoupling, are recommended for body-focused repetitive behaviors, including dermatophagia. Other techniques derived from cognitive-behavioral therapy recommend replacing things that do not actually dissolve with edibles that would. Moreover, it has been suggested to delay the urge by chewing gum, or on a soft drink straw.

Management in children with disabilities

There is no therapy known to effectively treat dermatophagia, but there have been attempts at stopping those affected from being able to chew on their skin. One notable method that is currently in development is focused on in curbing dermatophagia in children with cerebral palsy. This method is known as the PLAY (Protecting Little and Adolescent hands) hands protective glove. This method of intervention involves small, non-invasive plastic brackets being placed around the affected fingers. These brackets do not hinder movement or tactile feedback, and they are constructed from non-toxic durable plastic that can withstand the force of chewing. Presently PLAY hands protective gloves exist in concept and prototype only, but this intervention method could improve the quality of life of those with CP-induced dermatophagia.

References

References

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15. (February 19, 2024). "Exploring Dermatophagia: Examining Its Causes, Impact, and Solutions".
16. (May 22, 2024). "Understanding Dermathopagia: Causes, Risk factors, Symptoms, Treatment and more".
17. (September 18, 2016). "Play Hands Protective Gloves: Technical Note on Design and Concept". Technology & Innovation.