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Trichotillomania treatments aren’t one-size-fits-all and research is still limited on their effectiveness. Depending on your specific symptoms and their severity, it can take time and patience to find what works for you. While the exact cause of trichotillomania is unknown, both genetic and environmental factors are likely at play in its development. Because this condition can cause shame and embarrassment, many people find it tough to discuss it with a doctor.
How to talk to a friend about trichotillomania
However, it can be very disruptive and damaging to your mental health and quality of life. TTM is a relatively straightforward condition to diagnose, but people with this condition often hide it out of shame or embarrassment. That can make it harder for your healthcare provider to diagnose this condition based solely on asking questions. Diagnosing TTM involves a combination of a physical exam, where your healthcare provider looks for visible signs of the condition.
Prevention
They typically do not pull hair out in front of others, except for family members. People may also be distressed by their loss of control, and they repeatedly try to stop or reduce pulling their hair out but they cannot. Currently, no medications are specifically approved for the treatment of trichotillomania.
Trichotillomania: Understanding the Hairpulling Disorder

There is no certain cause of trichotillomania, but the current way of looking at trichotillomania is as a medical illness. One theory on a biological level is that there is some disruption in the system involving one of the chemical messengers between the nerve cells in parts of the brain. There may be also a combination of factors such as a genetic predisposition and an aggravating stress or circumstance; as with many other illnesses. Further, trichotillomania could be a symptom caused by different factors in different individuals just as a cough can be produced by a multitude of different medical problems. If you’re struggling to regrow hair, talk with your doctor. They may suggest other options, dietary changes, or prescribe medication to help you achieve the regrowth results of your dreams.
Trichotillomania Symptoms
Differences in this brain area have also been observed in individuals with OCD, suggesting a close relationship between the two conditions. Other studies have found evidence of decreased amygdala volume in people with trich, which may be related to difficulties in emotion regulation also observed in this population. So far, studies have shown that people with trichotillomania are more likely to also have ADHD. In one study that looked at people with trichotillomania, almost 1 in 6 also had ADHD. In general, only about 2 or 3 out of 100 people have ADHD.
This can cause hairballs to form in the stomach, leading to serious illness. Bald patches on the head may have an unusual shape and affect 1 side of the head more than the other. Research shows that up to 25% of students struggle with clinical anxiety which can significantly impact a student’s ability to learn and perform up to their capacity. Or, over-the-counter or professional remedies might help your long lashes return.
National Institutes of Health
Perspective Growing up, I hid my hair pulling. It was a sign I needed help. - The Washington Post
Perspective Growing up, I hid my hair pulling. It was a sign I needed help..
Posted: Sun, 18 Sep 2022 07:00:00 GMT [source]
That can help you live a life where your hair and appearance don’t make you feel anxious or ashamed, so you can focus on things that matter most to you. Trichotillomania is a condition characterized by a compulsive urge to pull out one’s hair. Seeking help is the first step in treating trichotillomania. At first you may see your primary care provider or a specialist in skin disorders called a dermatologist.
Medications
If you’re not getting enough of one or more of these, you can have noticeable hair loss. Learn about symptoms, cause, support, and research for a rare disease. Your doctor may also recommend undergoing HRT in combination with traditional cognitive therapy or acceptance and commitment therapy. If you have a family member with trichotillomania, you may be more likely to have the condition. Being bored or anxious, for example, can trigger the behavior.
While no medications are approved as a first-line treatment for TTM, some antidepressants, antipsychotic medications, and cannabinoid agonists have shown promise in limited studies. In some cases, people engage in “rituals” after pulling, such as rolling the hair between their fingers, touching it to their lips or face, or inspecting the end to look at the root. Other people with trichotillomania eat their pulled hairs, a condition known as trichophagia. While the exact prevalence of trichophagia is not well understood, some studies estimate it occurs in 20 to 30 percent of those with trichotillomania.
Be ready to answer questions so that you'll have time to talk about what's most important to you. TTM falls under the overall category of obsessive-compulsive disorder, but it has some key differences from OCD itself. • Engage in a physical, relaxing, or distracting activity (e.g., exercising, taking a bath, using deep breathing exercises, journaling).
If you receive chemotherapy or have radiation treatment to your head or neck, you may lose all (or most of) your hair within a few weeks of starting treatment. In women, the first noticeable sign of hereditary hair loss is usually overall thinning or a widening part. Both the CDC and the FDA warn against treating this common childhood condition on your own with non-prescription treatments. Trichotillomania, also known as trich or TTM, is when someone cannot resist the urge to pull out their hair.
However, symptoms may also manifest in infants, younger children, older teens, or adults. Some people feel itchiness or tingling in their eyebrows and pull in response. Other people pull or over-pluck their eyebrows because they are worried about how they look or to help themselves deal with stress. Here, we’ll discuss the signs and symptoms of trichotillomania and ways to treat this condition.