Does anybody know of any tips on how to stop picking the skin around my fingers and my head? Half the time I don't even notice I'm doing it. I work in a lab and it's not particularly safe to have broken skin working with the pathogens and chemicals.

It started when I was around six and it comes and goes. It's pretty bad at the moment, although it has been worse - I had a bald patch for a while! It is also fairly embarrassing to have minky fingers when you are trying to appear professional.

So has anyone overcome this problem? If so how?

Thanks in advance

You are probably opening yourself up to various infections by having lesions on your fingers, and maybe on your head, if they are airborne pathogens.

How can you be working in a lab, what kind of lab, with sore fingers and wounds. Explain yourself and go see a doctor and get checked out.

You are probably endangering other people as well.

Don't worry I am definatley only endangering myself! I work in a molecular biology/biochemistry lab, no human products etc purely research based.
I understand it is a problem that's why I'm seeking any advice on how to stop.
EDIT
In all the years I've had this problem I have never once gotten an infection, I am very careful once I realise I've done it. It just concerns me that it does open up the possibility.

Maybe something in your gloves to help you be aware that you don't want to do this, something that would make your skin hurt if opened, not to infect it, just make it uncomfortable when you do,like training yourself NOT to do it.( I am assuming you wear gloves for the type of work you do)

I don't tend to do it at work, I have gotten 70% ethanol on my fingers and I'll tell you now that stings! I used to wear nail varnish and I'd pick that instead but I'm not sure how long it would stay on when I'm sloshing around acetic acid (aka nail varnish remover).

As for gloves I don't wear them that much, it is generally discourage except when necessary due to the chances of developing contact dermatitis, which can be more damaging than the small chance of irritation by the chemicals. Generally speaking it is not a hazardous lab.

It's weird when I do it I don't feel it at all, not until I notice then it really stings. I've looked around the internet and I think I have a variant of trichotillomania. I know it's not technically hair pulling but I think it's a similar thing. So if anyone has managed to overcome that I would like to know how. :)

To tell the truth the fingers have never bothered me that much I'm just upset about starting on my head again - I don't want to go bald! Also I notice if I pick at my fingers sooner as they are right in front of me, so have a little bit more control.

The concept behind shock therapy was to make the patient aware of the returning mental action and reinforce that action with pain(see Ivan Pavlov theory on dogs) conditional stimulus/unconditional stimulus.

Aversion therapy is a possible treatment, if you are interested.

Ken