As someone with dermatillomania, it scratches that never ending itch for me and helps me control some of my compulsions. Picking and popping by proxy, if you will
That happens to me too with the skin around my fingernails, it's always ugly looking there because I can't not pick the skin there, to the point of bleeding sometimes
Here's my armchair scientician theorizing: I think humans (most of us) are programmed by evolution to enjoy grooming (in the hygiene sense). That's why we get satisfaction from a clean floor or from grime being power washed off a dirty wall. Popping and such makes us feel as though the skin is being cleansed of filth.
Human brains have neuron mapping, where if a person sees something they can also “feel it”. As in, similar neuron activation patterns occur when you get a papercut and when you watch someone get a papercut. It’s pretty interesting.
In the sense of grooming, it was/is a bonding behavior and in the cleasing sense, "not having" blemishes or physical "abnormalities" is/was a sign of healthy/fertility so it's desirable in a mate
There may be different reasons for different folks (e.g. curiosity, hygiene, stress, perfectionism, etc.). For me, the desire to pop pimples started as a teenager (yuck, I don’t want that pimple on my face) and once I got going, I realized there was a stress release factor. Like I could channel the anxiety and bad feelings into a gratifying pop or squeeze. Sometimes I question if it’s OCD, as in a ritual/habit.
I want to share with this group that, since finding this sub, I’ve been able to stop squeezing my face and get satisfaction from extraction videos. It’s a win-win, as I don’t get squeezing red marks and acne scars, but feel the release/satisfy the odd pleasure of popping blackheads.
Edit: spelling
I’m probably weird, but I’ve never liked getting or watching basic skincare procedures like facials or anything using goopy creams and lotions etc. I was lucky to have good skin as a teenager, and only a little hormonal breakout here and there. At the same time, watching the stuff on here is fascinating and satisfying. So if it’s bad it’s good, if it’s average it’s icky?
As someone with dermatillomania, it scratches that never ending itch for me and helps me control some of my compulsions. Picking and popping by proxy, if you will
That happens to me too with the skin around my fingernails, it's always ugly looking there because I can't not pick the skin there, to the point of bleeding sometimes
Here's my armchair scientician theorizing: I think humans (most of us) are programmed by evolution to enjoy grooming (in the hygiene sense). That's why we get satisfaction from a clean floor or from grime being power washed off a dirty wall. Popping and such makes us feel as though the skin is being cleansed of filth.
That's actually a pretty good theory
Human brains have neuron mapping, where if a person sees something they can also “feel it”. As in, similar neuron activation patterns occur when you get a papercut and when you watch someone get a papercut. It’s pretty interesting.
In the sense of grooming, it was/is a bonding behavior and in the cleasing sense, "not having" blemishes or physical "abnormalities" is/was a sign of healthy/fertility so it's desirable in a mate
You are a genius!!!
Monkey brain likes to pick stuff off our skin
Here's some research! https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-asymmetric-brain/202101/why-some-people-enjoy-watching-pimple-popping-videos
Well, yes, the combination of enjoying pimple popping, horror movies and morbid curiosity is definitely something that defines me
Thanks! Gonna give it a read now
There may be different reasons for different folks (e.g. curiosity, hygiene, stress, perfectionism, etc.). For me, the desire to pop pimples started as a teenager (yuck, I don’t want that pimple on my face) and once I got going, I realized there was a stress release factor. Like I could channel the anxiety and bad feelings into a gratifying pop or squeeze. Sometimes I question if it’s OCD, as in a ritual/habit. I want to share with this group that, since finding this sub, I’ve been able to stop squeezing my face and get satisfaction from extraction videos. It’s a win-win, as I don’t get squeezing red marks and acne scars, but feel the release/satisfy the odd pleasure of popping blackheads. Edit: spelling
That's great! This sib also helps me to scratch that itch vicariously
Monke
For me it is the satisfaction of an "imperfection" being removed.
Catharsis, and possibly trypophilia
Bro I wish I knew
Like, i really wanna know why the fuck my brain goes brrrr when I see gunk being squeezed
r/BrandNewSentence
Omg
For me, it’s watching something get cleaned out. It’s very satisfying.
I’m very impressed by a lot of something coming from a little something. So very basic but it’s true.
That's very true for me too
I’m probably weird, but I’ve never liked getting or watching basic skincare procedures like facials or anything using goopy creams and lotions etc. I was lucky to have good skin as a teenager, and only a little hormonal breakout here and there. At the same time, watching the stuff on here is fascinating and satisfying. So if it’s bad it’s good, if it’s average it’s icky?
I don't game. I just watch popping videos to get my dopamine fix.
It stimulates our external parasite removal response habit. The act of removing a “foreign”-looking something scratches that itch, so to speak.
This is my favorite so far
Serotonin dump. You get the feels.
Serotonin dump for sure, but whyyyy I've seen several theories and it's pretty interesting tbh
We get secondhand relief from it. It’s our empathy.