It is normal to trim or pull out a few split ends once in a while, but some people impulsively pull our their hair to the point of noticeable hair loss. Many people may assume that these individuals are going through chemotherapy simply because they have bald patches of hair. That, however, is not the case. These people suffer from trichotillomania.
Trichotillomania [trik-uh-til-uh-mey-nee-uh], commonly abbreviated as trich, is a compulsive hair pulling disorder. People with trich may pull out hair on their scalp, eyelashes, eyebrows or any other hair-covered areas of their body. They cannot resist the urge to pull our their hair even if they want to stop.
Why would someone do this?
While scientists are not exactly sure what causes trichotillomania, research suggests that it is a mix of behavioral and biological factors. The behavioral causes may stem from stress, depression or anxiety. One of the biological components may be a chemical imbalance in the brain that affects how the brain controls impulses. Also, the disorder could be inherited as people who have relatives with trich seem to have a higher risk of developing it.
So what are some of the symptoms?
Apart from compulsive hair pulling, here are a few more symptoms of trich:
- A sense of tension before pulling hair or when trying to resist the urge to pull hair
- A feeling of relief, satisfaction, and/or pleasure after acting on the impulse to pull hair
- Presence of bare patches where the hair has been pulled out
- Other behaviors such as inspecting the hair root, twirling the hair, pulling the hair between the teeth, and chewing on or eating the hair
Youtubers Rebecca Brown (beckie0) and Courtney (courtneypants) have been very open about their struggle with trichotillomania and compulsive skin picking. Their videos explaining their struggle with the disorder are linked below.
Courtney’s video
Becky’s video
If you believe you have trichotillomania, contact your doctor for help.