Currently submitted to: JMIR Dermatology
Date Submitted: Jun 28, 2026
Open Peer Review Period: Jul 13, 2026 - Sep 7, 2026
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Skin Picking in Online Fiction: Representation of Dermatillomania on Archive of Our Own
ABSTRACT
Dermatillomania (skin picking disorder) affects an estimated 1.4% to 5.4% of the general population, yet up to 78% of affected individuals never receive treatment. This cross-sectional metadata analysis of 691 dermatillomania-related works on Archive of Our Own found that while fiction authors depict skin picking with considerable physical and emotional detail, clinical framing was rare and no character was advised to seek professional help for skin picking. These findings raise questions about the potential public health implications of online fiction for a predominantly young adult readership, for whom such portrayals may represent a first point of contact with the condition prior to any clinical interaction.
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