Learn About BFRBs → What are BFRBs?
What Are BFRBs?
Body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs) are recurring behaviors like hair pulling, skin picking, cheek and lip biting that can be difficult to stop, even when someone wants to.
They’re more common than people realize, and often deeply misunderstood.
A Simple Way to Understand Them
BFRBs are not random. They tend to follow patterns and often serve a purpose—like helping someone cope with stress, regulate emotions, or respond to physical sensations.
For many people, they can feel automatic, hard to control, or both.
More Than a “Bad Habit”
BFRBs are often mistaken for habits that someone should be able to “just stop.”
But for people experiencing them, it’s not that simple.
These behaviors are connected to how the brain processes urges, emotions, and reinforcement making them much harder to change without the right support.
Why They’re Often Hidden
Next: Why Do They Happen →
Simple definition
Examples (hair pulling, skin picking, etc.)
“Not self-harm” clarification
Normalize experience
BFRBs can show up in different ways—and many people experience more than one.
Types of BFRB’s
List as: Core Types (Primary cards or sections)
Hair Pulling
Skin Picking
Nail Biting
Cheek & Lip Biting
Additional / Less Talked About (sub-section)
👉 Label it something like:
“Other Common BFRBs”
or
“Other Forms of BFRBs”
Then include:
Nose picking
Hair-focused behaviors
Skin-focused variations
Break it down clearly
Hair pulling (trichotillomania)
Skin picking (excoriation)
Nail biting
Cheek/lip biting
Hair Pulling (Trichotillomania)
Skin Picking (Excoriation)
Nail Biting (Onychophagia)
Cheek / Lip Biting (Morsicatio)
Nose Picking (Rhinotillexomania)
Skin Picking Variants
Scab picking
Cuticle picking
Acne picking
don’t need separate categories—just examples under skin picking)
Hair-related behaviors beyond pulling - Hair playing / rubbing / twirling, Trichophagia (hair eating)
Other body-focused habits (Skin rubbing Scratching (non-itch related)
Why do BFRBs happen?
Emotional regulation
Sensory component
Habit loops
Genetics / biology
“This is not your fault”
Common myths
“It’s just a bad habit” ❌
“You can just stop” ❌
“It’s self-harm” ❌
Signs & Impact
Physical signs
Emotional impact
Social effects
Shame / hiding behaviors
What Helps
Include:
Evidence-based approaches (high level)
Therapy types (light mention)
Tools / strategies
⚠️ BUT:
👉 Position as:
“what’s been shown to help”
NOT “what we provide”
For Parents / Loved Ones
How to respond
What NOT to do
How to support