What is dermatophagia?

Dermatophagia is a habit or compulsion of gnawing or eating one's own skin, most commonly the fingers. This condition is not very rare, and roughly 2 out of 7 people bite their skin. Sufferers typically bite the skin around the nails, leading to bleeding and discoloration over time. Some will eat their flesh during an episode of dermatophagia. Contemporary research suggests a link between impulse control disorders and obsessive compulsive disorders.

Dermatophagia sufferers chew their skin out of compulsion, and will do so on a variety of areas on their body. They may chew on the inside of their mouth, cheeks, and/or lips, causing blisters in and outside of the mouth. Also, this disorder is considered a sister disorder to trichophagia, which involves compulsively biting or eating one's hair.

Pointedly, dermatophagia is a neurotic habit or compulsion to self mutilate one's skin or appendages with one's teeth. When medically recognized, it is treated with therapy and medications.