# What is this Thing on my back? TMI

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-back-tmi/307264>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [June 7, 2005, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-back-tmi/307264 "2005-06-07T06:00:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e56c9b/32.png) [@Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mirror_Image_egamI_rorriM)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2005, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-back-tmi/307264/61 "2005-06-09T22:58:27Z")

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> [@catsix](#):
>
> Yeah, but this one time, my dad got barred from performing surgery on himself at home because he removed…
> 
> Four inches of vein from his own leg. He felt a string, so he pulled and pulled till it all came out. Then had to go to the doctor because the bleeding would not stop. The doctor confirmed that the ‘string’ was a vein, cause dadsix saved it in a baggie to show the doctor. I think he was **proud** of it.

Holy holy crap. That just boggles the mind.

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**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2005, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-back-tmi/307264/62 "2005-06-09T23:30:33Z")

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From **Lisacurl** ’s cite:

“Skin blemishes are in the same family of horrific, embarrassing things, like peeing with the door open, that you can only go through with an intimate partner,” he says, adding that although he loves it when a girlfriend picks at him, “it’s nowhere near as satisfying as getting at it yourself.”  
😃

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**Author:** ![catsix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@catsix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/catsix)\
**Post date:** [June 10, 2005, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-back-tmi/307264/63 "2005-06-10T00:32:16Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> **Mirror Image** said:  
> Holy holy crap. That just boggles the mind.

The thing that boggles my mind the most was that the doctor didn’t get all excited or anything. He just fixed up dad’s leg after ascertaining that he didn’t really need that piece of vein anyway, and said ‘No more surgery. I revoke your medical license.’

Since then, dadsix has limited his home OR to the fixing of ingrown toenails and removal of splinters.

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**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\
**Post date:** [June 10, 2005, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-back-tmi/307264/64 "2005-06-10T01:56:51Z")

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Some of those women quoted could have been me, though I’ve never interrupted foreplay to get at a zit.

I always assumed it was some sort of grooming instinct. Apparently I was right!

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**Author:** ![lisacurl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/41988e/32.png) [@lisacurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisacurl)\
**Post date:** [June 10, 2005, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-back-tmi/307264/65 "2005-06-10T02:15:54Z")

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I’ve tried to explain to Mr. Lisa that it’s beyond just compulsive… lizard-brain motivation, if you will. He calls me “monkey mama” when I insist on picking.

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