Welcome!
This website offers helpful information about body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs) such as nail biting, trichotillomania (compulsive hair pulling), skin picking (scratching/nibbling of the skin), or lip-cheek biting. We want to provide affected people with scientifically based self-help techniques free of charge (for more information about the effectiveness of the different techniques, please click on the link to Self-Help Techniques).
Considering all subtypes, mild forms of BFRBs occur in more than 90% of the population at some point across the lifespan (Moritz et al., 2023a). For example, occasional nail biting and skin picking are particularly common. Approximately 10% of the population experience clinically significant BFRB symptoms associated with distress and visible damage to the skin, hair, or nails. Over the course of a lifetime, around 24% of people are affected by a more severe forms with visible consequences at least once (Moritz et al., 2023a). Without appropriate treatment, BFRBs often follow a chronic or recurrent course. BFRBs are particularly common in children and adolescents and may negatively affect self-esteem, often resulting in teasing or social exclusion. Despite their high prevalence, many individuals suffer in silence. BFRBs remain under-researched, under-recognised, underdiagnosed, and undertreated.
Although a substantial proportion of the population is affected by these conditions, relatively few online resources provide practical, evidence-based guidance based on interventions that have demonstrated efficacy in controlled clinical studies. A recent study involving 971 individuals with BFRBs (Moritz et al., 2026) highlighted a considerable gap in access to care: only 13.5% of participants had ever sought or received professional treatment, and the average delay before first treatment exceeded 11 years. Even among those who had received professional care, approximately 40% reported that they had not received a specific evidence-based recommendation or intervention.
The good news is that effective treatment options are available. BFRBs are treatable, and early intervention substantially improves the likelihood of reducing symptoms, interrupting the cycle of repetitive behavior, and improving quality of life. This website aims to help close the current treatment gap by providing comprehensive information on evidence-based self-help strategies and guidance on when and where to seek professional support.
This website was developed together with Prof. Steffen Moritz from the University Medical Center Eppendorf in Hamburg (Germany) and his team who have been researching body-focused repetitive behaviors for many years. On this site, you will find a video they created that teaches affected individuals a number of self-help techniques that studies have shown to be effective.
However, there is no single intervention that works equally well for everyone. Individuals differ considerably in their symptoms and treatment response. Individuals differ considerably in their symptoms and treatment response. For this reason, we also suggest Self-Help Literature as well as other tips, tricks, and products recommended by other affected people. We recommend the ones we are convinced are truly helpful and do not merely represent avoidance strategies.
And now—where should you start? We advise those who suffer from BFRBs to first watch this video (alternatively, you could read through this text with the same content if you prefer reading), which explains behavioral techniques to prevent BFRBs. The disorder is like a perfect storm where several things come together. We therefore suggest gradually supplementing these techniques with other methods, such as downloading our app COGITO (for raising self-esteem and well-being), sharing experiences with other sufferers (see Links, Videos, and More), and trying products that help reduce the urge to harm one’s own body (see Helpful Things).
Do you know someone who is affected by BFRBs? Would you like to deepen your understanding of the topic to support them? We provide some contacts for exchanging information with other family members and affected persons (see Links, Videos, and More) as well as specific guides that are also aimed at family members (see Self-Help Books).
Under Symptoms, you will find information about the various conditions.
We do not have any commercial intentions with this website. The proceeds we make by linking to third-party products finance the maintenance costs.
This website is not interactive. If you are looking for a place to chat and exchange ideas with other affected people, we recommend the website of the TLC Foundation and BFRB-related Facebook groups (see also Links, Videos, and More).
Enjoy reading and watching and, above all, good luck!
Keywords: overcoming body focused repetitive behaviors; online therapy for skin picking; bfrb disorder; body focused repetitive behaviors; body-focused repetitive behaviors; cavitadaxia; bfrb cheek biting; trichophagy;