What is "dermatophagia"

Dermatophagia (from Ancient Greek δέρμα - skin - and φαγεία - eating) is a habit or compulsion of gnawing or eating one's own skin, most commonly at the fingers. This condition is not very rare, and roughly 2 out of 7 people bite their skin. Sufferers typically bite the skin around the nails, leading to bleeding and discoloration over time. Some may consume the flesh during an episode. Contemporary research suggests a link between impulse control disorders and obsessive–compulsive disorders, and this may be addressed in the DSM-5, due for publication in May 2013. Further information on differentiation between OCD, other anxiety disorders, and dermatophagia and other impulse-control disorders can be found in the DSM-IV TR.