A Synopsis of Body Focused Repetitive Behavior

Body focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs) are self-grooming behaviors. It is a group of related disorders in which an individual damages his or her appearance or causes physical injury that include pulling, picking, biting or scraping one's hair, skin or nails. BFRBs are currently listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition, as obsessive-compulsive related disorders. Some researcher said that Body-focused repetitive behavior (BFRB) is an umbrella name for impulse control. Types of BFRBs such as hair pulling (Trichotillomania), skin picking (Dermatillomania or Skin Excoriation Disorder) or nail biting (Onychophagia) who had psychiatric comorbidity and are bad habits that can be controlled if diagnosed and managed properly. These self-grooming behaviors are not triggered by obsessions or concerns about appearance but it may be preceded by a feeling of tension or anxiety that is relieved by the act, it is always associated by a feeling of gratification.