You may think pulling your own hair is just a bad habit, but do you know it may actually be a disorder? People with hair-pulling disorder or trichotillomania have a strong urge to pull their hair out. They experience growing tension until they pull a few strands or a chunk of hair out, and feel a sense of relief after doing so. It may be in response to a stressful situation, or it may be done without giving it much thought. They not only pull out hair from their scalp, but also from other areas, such as their eyebrows and eyelashes. Read on to know everything about trichotillomania and ways to stop pulling your hair out.
Hair-pulling disorder is also known as trichotillomania, which is a chronic disorder, says psychiatrist Dr Neatu Narang. It is characterised by repetitive pulling out one’s own hair, and most cases remain unrecognised until significant hair loss becomes visible. The lifetime prevalence of this disorder, which usually begins in the adolescence stage, is as high as 3.5 percent, according to a research published in StatPearls in 2023.
It is considered to be a variant of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, in which a person has uncontrollable thoughts, and engages in repetitive behaviour. Increased tension before an act of hair pulling leads to the behaviour and then subsequent relief or satisfaction for brief periods, says the expert. There are two types of hair pulling:
Once you stop pulling out your hair, new hair growth may start. But it may take months or years for the hair to grow back.
It is not known what causes a person to develop the hair-pulling disorder, but some may do it to alleviate stress. A person who has a mother or father or sibling with this disorder has a higher chance of having this condition.
People with trichotillomania experience an irresistible urge to pull out their hair.
To diagnose trichotillomania, a doctor will check if there is visible hair loss. If there is hair loss, the doctor may talk about it, and your behaviour connected to it.
The key to prevention of hair-pulling disorder is early detection of the individual’s poor stress tolerance and coping skills, says Dr Narang. Stress management and early intervention to handle emotional pain, go a long way to prevent hair-pulling disorder.
Hair-pulling disorder, like obsessive compulsive disorder, respond to anti-obsessional and anti-depressant medications, with regular follow-ups and supervision by a psychiatrist, says the expert.
There are no medicines approved by the US Food and Drug Administration specifically for its treatment, but habit reversal training can help. The aim of the treatment is to help you replace a bad habit with something that can not harm you, as per the UK’s National Health Service. It usually involves:
Trichotillomania or hair-pulling disorder usually begins in the adolescent phase. Habit reversal training and support from loved ones can help people with trichotillomania.
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