It’s rare to see anything about trichotillomania covered in the mainstream press. Trichotillomania is a disorder where people compulsively pull out their hair. It has been related to obsessive-compulsive disorder and goes along with other “bad habits” like biting fingernails. Treatment options are similar …
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There was an interesting comparative study in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry last year (2006 Jul;67(7):1086-92) examining the relative benefit of habit reversal training (HRT) and SSRI treatment. While both approaches reduced compulsive hair-pulling, patients who got both types of treatment showed the best overall gains.
I started in fourth grade, I am now twenty and not only have bald spots, I have no eyebrows or eyelashes. Does anyone eles have it this bad? I have talked to councelors all they said is just stop. I have only talked to one doctor he did not even say anything abot my hair pulling he just made me feel like it was not important.
Erinn, there are millions out there like that. I wore a wig for almost 10 years before I was able to get mine under control. Today, I have a beautiful head of hair, no bald spots. There is hope!
i was seven when i started pulling. its been ten years and i cant stop. it makes me sad and not want to hang out with anyone. i will be in a great mood then just sit to relax or watch tv and begin on a catostrophic cycle of non stop pulling. i get depressed and want to be alone and will just lay by myself in self pity. i keep saying thats its because of diet coke and sugar because i ate a lot of chocolate and drank a DC right before it happened. i tend to notice when i dont drink it and dont eat junk im not doing it.
I don’t remember when I started picking at my hair, but I noticed as it got worse. I got to the point where I started pulling four to five at a time. I’m embrassed about my hair, but I just couldn’t stop. I only pluck those that are under my top hairs though, so people won’t see my bald spots. It’s like picking at it just stops all the worries and stress you feel. I believe it is the pain that makes you forget. I know it’s not healthty, but it really helps you block out all those stress. There are so many times have I tried to stop, but I can’t. It’s like you know that you’re picking at your hair, but you just can’t make yourself stop. I have stopped picking at it so much when I got my job which keeps me busy most of the time. Being busy makes me forget about my urges to pick at my hair.
i a trichotillomania sufferer have been pulling for 3 years i went to a place that helped mme understand more about my condition iam only 15 but as a word of hope you can get it under control.if a 15 year old girl can overcome this than any1 can. u just need to find the right help. i went to a centre called st annes who were absolutely amazing. i am not completely rid of the disease but it is very well under control so please never give up hope. u can do it if u really want to
i started plucking my hair of my eyebrows in Oct 2004.But till now i am struggling hard to remove my habit,but my problem starts when i get in tension of exams,i always tries to hide my face from my parents & others.I never leave hope to get rid of this problem. please tell me some helpful tips to solve my habbit.
Have a granddaughter who is 6. She has been pulling for over a year now. She usually just has little or no eyelashes. I saw her this weekend. She pulled out an entire eyebrow and all her lashes. She loves school, has a great Mom, who is engaged and loving with a wonderful yound man. She was beaten by her bio Dad and hospitalized when she was 5 weeks old. Does this factor into the problem? She also has night terrors and whimpers at times. Does anyone know how I can help or find her some help. Her Mom said she is going to take her to the Dr. After entensive research it sounds pretty hard to find a Dr. who understands and can help. Please any info is appreciated. Grandma
I am 24 now, I have been pulling since I was 12. It seems to come and go but I have never been able to regrow the hair…the area I pull from is directly on the top and it feels like it is on fire. I was a teen model before it happened and I actually had to change high schools because of it..the kid’s would always ask me what happened to my hair before…then i just wore it in a ponytail enough to cover and moved to another school. I now wear a hair piece and haved tried many different drugs bit they only seem to work for about 3 to 6 months only. My doctor said his son suffers from this disease very badly…he just keeps giving me different drugs to try…welbutrin xl has been the best but even with a doctor who has a child of his own with the disease isn’t very helpful
I was not aware of the term Trichotillomania, until i just searched ‘hair pulling habit’ on google, as I have been doing so for 2 years now… and its driving me mad.
The most annoying thing is not knowing im twisting until i actually feel pain and pull out hairs.. The worst affected area is behing my ears, where is seem to constantly pull or front of my hair line. I dont relise how bad it is until i look in the mirror and see small bald patches (which can get really sore).. I really dont know how to stop this terrible habit. Its even worse i do it without realising, so i must look a rite fool to other people, standing there twisting my hair.
I started pulling my hair since I was about 12. Now, I am 27. I have tried to stop, but always seem to always continue. I notice that anytime I am feeling anxious or just watching tv, is when I seem to start the pulling. I don’t think I even realize until about half an hour when I look down to see a pile of hair on the floor. Then,as I pick them up to throw them away, I always tell myself I have to stop but never seem to. I am afraid to tell the people I love… I feel ashamed that I do this and can not explain it to anyone else. They will not understand me. I have read many reasons why this may occur, but still need an answer. Is it biological, my eating habits, social anxiety, or OCD?
Grandma – I’ve pulled since I was 9 or 10, and still do at 45, mostly eyelashes. I personally think there is a link to your g’daughter’s treatment at the hands of her bio dad & her trichotillomania – at least I too have trich & a dad who was (then) violent and a controlling bully. It was an awful childhood & adolescence due to the self esteem & social anxiety issues, however a loving family is good support. I’m not sure but I think its too late for me. I’m on anti depressants and I still pick, although less. I have a lot of anger I attribute to my childhood & in particular my father. Good luck, glad she has someone who loves her.
I started pulling my hair when I was about 12. I am 21. I notice that anytime I am feeling anxious, reading or just watching tv, is when I start pulling. I used to pull eyelashes, then moved to eyebrows and now is the back of my head. I stopped pulling the eyelashes and eyebrows, not really sure how, I just knew there was more hair on my head that I thought I could disguise but now that its this bad, I really want to stop. WHAT can I do?
Heyaa ma mum has this problem any one got ady solutions i hate seeing her like that!!:(
I started pulling when I was about 10, and I am now 23. I think about it everyday. The worst thing is that when I pull I like the feeling of it. I will do it for hours a day if I have the time. It makes me so ashamed. I have gone to counselors and I have known more about this condition than they have which makes me so frusterated. This last year I have been on the drug effexor. I never realized how negative I was towards my self in my head with my own thoughts. I can’t say that the drug has made me stop pulling, but my attitude towards life and this horrible condition has completely changed for the better. I’m still looking for answers, even empathy. I don’t know if or when it will ever stop
My son is 11 and started pulling last march. He pulled out all of his eyelashes. Both eyebrows were gone, grew back and he pulled the entire brow out last night. He has 2 bald spots on his head that will connect soon. He is on Prozac for 2 weeks, doesn’t seem to be helping. He too pulls when he watches tv. He obsesses in the mirror about the spots and then he cries because he doesn’t understand why he does this to himself. He sees a psychiatrist and a psychologist and neither one seems to be helping. ????????
I have been pulling my eyelashes out since I was in 5th grade; I’m in 9th now. I started because of a child’s game. I had always heard that if you find an eyelash that has fallen off, you hold it between your fingers tightly, make a wish, and then guess what finger it will stick to, your wish will come true. Well I was very self-conscious at that age. Kids always made fun of me for me weight..so I always wished to be skinny and beautiful. I would sit for hours and pull my eyelashes out, wishing. It’s been getting worse lately. I’ve quit the wishing, but I still pull. I can’t help it. I’ve started looking at the ends of my hair on my hair, and I’ll pull out any hairs the are thick, unhealthy, or a different color. =/ I’m not sure what to do about this. I don’t really want to take anti-depressants..but that seems to be the only “cure” right now.
I’m 23 and been pulling since I was 11. I know its really common for girls particularly at the beginning of adolescence, and there is no one drug or therapy that will work for everyone.
and being teased because of me. 
I’ve been put on and taken off 4 types of drugs, psychotherapy, meditation, internet scams, hyponotherapy. I’ve avoided people and questions my whole life. My dad was very angry and controlling when I was little, but I didn’t have an abusive family. My maternal aunt has a similar problem.
BUT, there is hope! I’m learning and living to deal. There’s a website run by an Australian woman who has these fantastic eyebrow and eyelash replacement products. I glue them on and leave them, and slowly the hair is growing underneath! It still itches, which makes me want to pull… but I try and cuddle my cat or my hubby instead which helps me feel safe. I’d love to be pull free before I have kids; its one thing ignoring school and work mates, but I couldn’t avoid my own children questioning me
i started pulling when i was in 8th grade. now i’m almost 20 and i’ve been wearing a wig for 5 years now… although wearing a wig has helped me get by..it gets really uncomfortable…pretty soon…within the month..i will be taking my wig off for the first time in forever and getting myself a short haircut. i feel that i might be strong enough to get rid of this once and for all..since its a sickness thats mostly psychological…i’m hoping that i’ve gotten better..i dont really pull that much anymore..i used to pull intense amounts at a time.. but i’ve gotten a LOT better…
i’m taking my wig off soon…getting a new haircut…and i still have a few bald spots…and i’m really nervous..i get SO self concious when it comes to my hair! i don’t really know how i’m going to deal with all of this change…its been really hard for me to keep my chin up…anyone have any uplifting words of advice?
I believe you can do it, I know the self-conscious feeling that is from my own doing.I have been plucking out my eyelashes since I was 10, I am now 19, and feel so frustrated that I still do it. My eyebrows have also suffered, and it is usually from stress. I just found out today that it is a disorder, and I want to stop and I believe I can. I have been trying to ween myself off,I think I just have to control my impulse which is so hard, but mentally I think I can do it.I have slowed down on plucking out my top eyelashes, and I am in the process of growing out by bottom eyelashes. My eyebrows still have gaps, but that is where make-up plays its part. I try and focus on the love that exists in my life, and realize that I have control over my actions.
uhm…I’m 16 and i started about 2 years ago. I’m pretty shure i’ts high school thats putting me under such stress.All the homework,exams,projests.I just cant help myself.Its like an relief when i do it…
I started pulling when I was 12 and the doctors thought I had alopecia. I am currently 41 and after years of therapy, anti-depressants, cortizone shots, plugs of 1/4 inch deep skin being taken out of my scalp and tested nothing. I wore a wig from the age of 12 to the age of 28. I finally got sick of not being helped and did some reading at the local library and found out that my trich was caused by high fevers that I had as a child. The high fevers cause damage to the receptors in my brain that receive seratin (?not sure the name) so my brain does not tell me to stop doing compulsive things. Also, my dad used to make me keep things perfectly neat so I started pulling the out of place hairs and then just could not stop.
I too pull from the top of my head. Never the back and never eyebrows or lashes.
It is never going to go away, I hate to tell you all, however it is manageable.
Hang in there…manage is the only way. You need to control it and not let it control you.
Lisa,
Trichotillomania can go away fully as i have seen in a friend of mine and others who have said so on this website. My friend had it for 7 years and than decided to make a number of changes in her life. She went to a naturalpathic doctor and was put on liquid magnesium which is used to calm nerves and help with cognitive problems and depression. Often times disorders such as these are caused by mineral deficiencies as well as events that have happened in childhood or adolescence. She was assaulted at a very young age, and still sees a counsellor but the pulling has stopped. She still, however, struggles with cutting yet continually gets better as the days progress. I strongly believe drugs and medication are only band aids for a problem that has a deeper cause.
I just wanted everyone to know that I have suffered from this since I was about 7 yrs old and now I am 38. I have been on every medicine imaginable and finally found one that actually works for Trichotillomania. I am very excited to say that LAMICTAL, has really worked for me
I started pulling the back part of my hair when I was 12. I wore pony tails, and the hairs across the nape of my neck would already be loose and were perfect to pull out and get a fresh bulb so I could rub it across the top of lip. Once I would get all of those I would pull my pubic hairs and eyelashes. I’ve noticed that if I’m sleepy, or stressed I begin pulling. If I’m just sitting around, not doing anything, I’m pulling. I started shaving my pubic hairs, but that only leads me to pull only my eyelashes. I don’t do the hair on my head anymore, but have spaces in my eyelashes, and unless I shave my pubic region, I have bald spots down there. Thanks for the post Barb, I’m going to the doctor next week, and I am going to suggest LAMICTAL. My problem has gotten worse over the years, and I’m at a point now where I want it to stop. But I truly can’t, and no-one seems to understand the urge and feeling of satisfaction that it brings. Someone asked me does that hurt, and I said, “no.” But as I thought about it, it should hurt, but I don’t see or feel any pain until I get that hair out. Thanks. This was a good relief for me.
I started pulling eyelashes when I was six, due to our constant moving around. It was second grade and my parents were able to get me to stop. Then in 8th grade, I wanted to wax my eyebrows (they were out of control) just like my friends, but my mom said in a year I could. I didnt want to wait and I had no tweezers, so I used nail clippers to shape them. Eventually I was sick of the clippers and stole my mom’s tweezers, she didnt notice because she never needs them. That re-opened my.. habbit on hair plucking. I plucked and over plucked my eyebrows untill 10th grade, when they barely had any hair left on them. Since there was no hair to pull, I pulled my lashes out again. Every single bottom lash is gone. And there are very few on the top. I hate myself. Then I started pulling my actual hair, at first it was just split ends, now its anything. but I managed to get that under control. Does anyone else have this problem? That they cant stop themselves? I HATE myself. I used to have long gorgeous eyelashes and now hardly anything. please help!
I am a twenty years old and have been battling Trich for over 14 years now. I have pulled out my eyelashes for as long as I can remember, and recently began to pull at the edges of my eyebrows. Tonight, I unfortunatly had a lapse and pulled out a large section of my left eyebrow, the first pulling I had done in over three weeks. Though I am upset, I will not be deterred! Trich is something that we will all have to battle with our whole lives, even when we feel that we have overcome the greater part of it – the urges will still lie beneath the surface of our consciousness, and for the first weeks, months, and years of recovery, there will be lapses and relapses into pulling again. It hurts me to hear people say that they hate themselves, feel ugly, or are in self pity because of recent actions. you are beautiful no matter what, and your trich does not define who you are! And these depressed feelings can activate a vicious cycle for many people, because depression and anxiety may be a trigger for the urge to pull; so you pull, feel bad about it, then pull some more because you’re upset, though you dont realize thats why you’re doing it. My philosphy is that by the time you realize the damage you’ve caused in your session of pulling, the action is already done – there is no taking it back, no matter how much we want to. Instead, we should be proactive about planning for the next time, and being on the defensive. We need to recognize what situations trigger our urges to pull – I personally believe that there is an element of addiction that goes along with having trich – as we pull, the pain receptors in our brain release Endorphines into our bloodstream, which give us a relaxed feeling -we are essentially addicted to this chemical and the feeling it produces. And just as support groups for substance addicts suggest, you must change your routine and recognize your triggers for the impulse and behavior. But another important focus for these support groups is for it’s member to take life one day at a time. Here are some of my personal triggers and situations which cause me to pull.
- Stress
- When I feel unstimulated; such as watching TV or just aimlessly websurfing. (Also in class, but unfortunately, thats a neccessary evil)
- When others around me are stressed: this is because I become very uncomfortable; also, if someone I care about is very stressed, I will pick up on those feelings empathically and channel those feelings subconsciously.
I hope my way-long post helps someone who reads this. Good luck to everybody!!
~Amanda
I started pulling when I was 13, I was dealing with a lot of family stuff. I am now 33 and sick of it. I am getting married and would like hair for my wedding. I have always talked to my medical Dr.’s about it but never wanted drugs. Now, I am trying drugs…. I tried Clomipramine (as far as I could tell it’s the most popular drug out there for us right now). It worked great I pulled only about 3-8 hairs a day!! BUT on the 8th day I got real bad reproductive system side effects and stopped imediatly. I have heard it works real well for a lot. I am today headed back to the Dr. to try something else. I know drugs are not the first answer, beleive me in 20yrs I have tried everything and nothing for me worked, not to say it won’t for you. I am just determined to have hair by my WEDDING!!!!!!!!!
I will keep you all posted…… wish me luck! 
Hi I am Sydney. I have been pulling hair since the summer of 2007 I am pretty sure. I am now 13 years old and I am a very stressful girl. I have been a deep thinker for years and that has given me a lot of anxiety. I have the best family any kid could ask for and they have helped me through all of this. I also have caring friends and I would like to thank all of them for helping me. I believe I started pulling hair because of the medicine I am on, Seleca. It has helped a lot with the social issues I have had and the stress (most of it), but I think it has given me the desire to pick out hair. I now have gaps in my eyelashes and less than half of eyebrows. I am always embarrassed to walk in public especially school. A lot of people stare at me and that makes me feel uncomfortable. I am glad to know that I am not the only one out there who does this and I am very to all of you who do. My mom gave me a necklace with a heart for her love, an S for Strength, and a pearl for wisdom. whenever I have the urge to pull hair, I touch my necklace and think of her and the strength I have to overcome this terrible habit. I hope that all of you out there will soon get better and I have been praying for myself too. God bless all of you.
Like many of you, I started pulling when I was 12. I had pretty hair before I became obsessed with my split ends. I pulled my hair so short that I could no longer see the split ends, but the habit had formed, and I started pulling my hair from the roots, which started a 13-year-long obsession with hair folicles…but not just any folicles, just the ones that are wet and attached to particularly thick or coarse hairs. Being African-American, there have always been plenty of hairs that fit that description, so before I finished 6th grade, I had a big bald spot in the middle of my head, and very thin hair around the edges of my head. It has always been one step foward, two steps back for me. Just when my hair is growing back, I have a major PullFest, and have to revert back to trying to conceal bald spots. Every place that I frequent including my bathroom, living room couch, computer area, car, and classroom has strands of hair lying around to show that I was there. Everyone, from my mother to my middle school students have told me to leave my hair alone before I have no hair at all. How embarassing. I don’t even notice what I’m doing sometimes. I think there must be a genetic link, because my 23 year-old sister (who had very long hair as a chid) has been pulling since 2nd grade, and has not had more than an inch or two of hair since. She had tried counseling and meds unsuccessfully.
GOOD NEWS: I’ve been praying for the strength to stop, and God sent me a wig. I have finally made some progress by wearing a full-lace wig. For those who don’t know, this type of wig gives the illusion that hair is growing from your scalp, but the wig covers all of your hair, and is worn for up to 6 weeks at a time, making it IMPOSSIBLE TO PULL (at least not my own hair) and without folicles, pulling loses its appeal anyway. I’ve been wearing the wig for a week at a time, only taking it off to wash and care for my own hair, which is growing well. I’ve been mixing this with daily exercise which relieves stress and anxiety anyway, keeps me busy, and occupies my hands. I’ve pulled a grand total of 3 hairs since December 15, 2007! Try it!
I AM 30 YRS OLD AND ACTUALLY STARTED PULLING ABOUT 5YRS AGO. EVERYTHING I READ SAYS IT USUALLY STARTS AT ADOLESCENCE, WHICH IS NOT THE CASE FOR ME. REALLY ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT I DONT UNDERSTAND IT AT ALL AND SOMEHOW IT RELIEVES TENSIONS WHILE CREATING ANXIETY?! TENSION FROM GETTING THAT “ABNORMAL” HAIR OUT AND ANXIETY CUZ I WANT TO STOP AND CANT. PLEASURE AND PAIN. IVE TRIED MULTIPLE SOLUTIONS, EVEN PUTTING BANDAIDS ON MY FINGERS AND CUTTING MY HAIR DOWN TO MY SCALP SO ITS NOT LONG ENOUGH TO PULL. BUT SURE ENOUGH WHEN IT GROWS BACK, IPULL.
I think I had a minor case of this disorder, but I got rid of it. I am an 18 year old male and up until recently I did not even know this disease had a name. When I used to pull(only about 2 months ago), I never pulled so much that I got bald spots, and i only ever pulled from my chin or beard area. The way that I stopped the compulsion to pull my hair was with a rubberband placed around my wrist. Anytime I accidently pulled a hair, or caught myself about to pull a hair, I snapped the rubberband on my wrist. It took a while but now I never really get the urge to do it, and if I do I still have the rubberband on. This probably would not work for more serious cases though.
wow i am 45 and still pulling i am at my wits end
I’ve been pulling that I can remember since I was 12 (my grandma has informed me I started when I was 4). I am now almost 24 now and besides about 1 1/2 years when I was about 15 where I stopped pulling after some doctor shoved a needle into the top of my scalp, my hair pulling has been getting drastically worse. I’ve started pulling in areas I can’t cover up, and it is really embarrasing. I’m afraid to even have a boyfriend, because I’ve been asked in the past why I always wear my hair up. I’ve never wanted to wear my hair down so much in my life and I can’t. I notice I pull when I’m over tired, (that is usually when I have a catastrophic episode) and mostly when I’m studying, or reading for school. And I can’t stop studying otherwise I’ll fail. I really don’t think medication is going to work, but I really want to get it under control. I’m just afraid to go to the doctor again because the last one gave up on me. Has anyone ever tried HRT (habit reversal treatment)? I’m thinking about going to the psychologist at school, but to be honest, I’m nervous.
I’ve been pulling since I was about 12 on and off. I didn’t know about the disorder until I read an article about a girl who had it. It was comforting to realise that there is a medical reason for what I do. I’m 18 now, and usually have big bald patches in my eyebrows (which are unfortunately normally thick and dark so it looks really obvious when I’ve been pulling) and sometimes my eyebrows, although I’ve never pulled my head hair. It’s so embarrassing- I can’t stop doing it, even in classes at college where people do notice. It makes me feel ugly and unfeminine. I haven’t been to the doctor about it because I know the condition isn’t very well known here (UK), and I seem to spend most of my life at the doctor anyway (I had bad acne). So I don’t know what to do really, except to keep getting my eyebrows plucked thinner and thinner. They tend to grow back during holidays, but during college time- whether I’m stressed or not doing much at all- I just keep pulling. But thanks to you guys for sharing- it’s good to not feel to alone. I hope you all find ways out of this. God bless.
I’ve been pullling for 10 years. I always pulled my eyebrows and eyelashes, and then my pubic hairs, and now the hairs on my head. I hate it and I’m getting noticeable bald spots on my head. My dad has trichotillomania and I almost dont want to have kids because I dont want them to go through what Ive been going through. =[
I am in my late 30s and I’ve been pulling and nailbiting since I can remember.
I had a pretty brutal childhood and I think for me it’s related to that.
what has worked for me, at least to slow it down, is to quit watching television. I usually would pull and bite my nails (i pull my pubic hair and arm hair) while I was watching tv. so I stopped watching tv, I go for a walk or doodle or write letters instead. now I only pull right at bedtime.
I have no bald spots now but my pubic hair is thin at the edges. my nails are still bitten dow but not sore every day. it’s not all the way gone but now it’s something I can live with.
Ive been pulling since for 2 years (im in ninth grade now) and i have hardly any eyelashes and my eyebrows are very thin and choppy. I have been to psycologists and they don’t realy get it. they are all like “do you want to stop? then use your will power” and idk what to do. My mom is now taking me to a hypnotherapist, and i don’t think that that will help. I have been to one session and so far its gotten worse. Idk what to do. if anyone here has suscessfully stopped, then PLEASE post solutions.
and pam-
that must really suck watching you son like that. i know its hard for my mom. the thing is that she thinks that i don’t even care, when i do care alot. And i am seeing all of these people that are like “ive been pulling since i was 12 and now im in my 20′s.”
im scared that that will be me.
I have been pulling my hair since I was 5yrs old. I am currently almost 19yrs old. I don’t even notice when I do it. Half of the time I do it in my sleep or whenever. I am currently considering shaving my head due to the fact I am all the way bald on top
I don’t know how to stop
2 in 50 people pull out thier hair due to stress of some kind, so do many other social animals in the world like birds will pull out feathers when they’re stressed as well. It’s one of those things where it’s like welcome to life on planet earth. Social anxiety is a part of life for all creatures on earth, people try to act like they’re above shallow and vain social rituals by giving things names like disorders but all tha does is label it and isolate them more. There is no cure because there’s actually no problem it’s completely natural and not your shame it’s societies shame. Hair does’nt make you who you are. And family members should just let the person they know who does this to relieve stess that they will love and accept them no matter what they look like because it’s an inner “battle” (everybody fights stress in their own way just be glad they aren’t doing harmful drugs) and the best way to help them is to support them and let them deal with it on thier own terms and if they choose to be bald or have bald spots just accept it and treat them the same as you would treat them otherwise. Making them feel even more isolated by trying to treat “it” only makes it worse because it causes more stress. It’s amazing how primitive and vain we still are in todays world our society is obsessed with hair just like many other animals like lions prize other lions with darker mains above others. Also in different times in history it was considered more attractive for women to have no eyebrows and todays world /society has decided to isolate having no leg hair as being attractive, wierd if you think about it. Hair serves little function other than for social appearances, pretty shallow. My sister pulls out her hair and has been completely bald (head, eyelashes and eyebrows) at times in her life and she’s taken alot of positive things from it (she’s very smart, deep, and philisophicle, one of my favorite people to talk to because of this) for instance she says that being completely bald was a real humbling experience for her she’s learned to be less shallow herself and appreciate life on a deeper level. She also told me that it made her realize that not having hair isn’t the end of the world and actually strengthened her self confidence in accepting herself for who she is and accepting others. I love my sister alot and admire her confidence and I know hair doesn’t make her or break her (especially not in my eyes) but more importantly so does she. And I just wanted to let anyone else out there who does this know that it’s nothing to be ashamed of on your part and millions of other people do it as well as other animals on earth. In the meantime accept yourself for who you are laugh, love, live and remember it’s just hair! Also good luck to anyone shaving thier head I think everyone should do it once in thier life time just for the experience and I’m currently considering shaving mine as well, I hope you all find your inner strength and bliss! Peace! Be good, do good!
Hey guys..I as well have this disorder..and I would type more, but I have alot of studying to do…but just for a quick help…My mom found this product call Toppik..it works great to help cover up bald spots..it isnt a treatment and it wont help cure it…but it does allow you to have more self-confidence..my is soo bad that even if I wear it in a ponytail you can still see some bald spots..but when I put this on..it helps cover it up and no one can really tell!! The website it…. http://www.toppik.com
I finally FOUND A MEDICINE THAT WORKS — alleviates the urge to pull — after 30 years of on-and-on pulling. It’s name is
LAMICTAL. The prescription is “off label” because the main purpose for the drug is for seizures. It is also listed to treat Turrets Syndrome which has the symptoms of “tics.” My intuition is that brain chemicals causing Turrets are related to Trich.
– (I use this medicine in conjuction with cognitive therapy — which greatly helps purge anxiety and depression by the act of speaking with a professional. Proven to raise Serotonin levels too.) It worked within a few days. Then, after about two months, the dose had to be raised to work as well as when I first started taking it. I’ve still had a few episodes when stress is super high. But, for the past year, it’s made a significant impact.
Don’t blame yourself; it’s nuerological. Try getting a Lamictal prescrip. from a therapists. Nothing to lose, right? All the best to you!
Hi everyone my name is Lizzy and i am 26 years old. I have been pulling for many many years now and i am really sick to death of it. I started when i was in early primary school and have done it consistently since. I wish to be rid of this horrid disease and i so want to find a treatment that works. Does anyone know of a cream or medication that speeds the growth of hair? Might sound pretty stupid. Pulling makes me feel very depressed and anxious and angry. I take this anger mostly out on my partner i think. I have been with him for 4 years and never ever told him what the go is. I know he wants to know but i feel very embarrased and ashamed. I know others look at me funny and some ask and i get very efensive and then upset. I cry a lot about this issue and i want so much to be normal. I am a bit of a stress head and maybe that causes it. I just thought it was somethiong aweful that i did and that i was stupid becsusse of it. I pull out my eyelashes and eyebrows. I wish i could putt something insignificant like arm hairs but it doesn’t give me the same feeling. I HATE it! I want it gone! I draw my eyebrows on with a eye pencil and it really restricts everything i can do comfortably. I cant swim for long periods for fear it will wash off, or sleep at others houses on the spur of the moment for fear it will rub off and i dont have my pencil. Its bloody aweful. I dont feel like a woman without eyelashes to put mascara on like all my friends. I am sick to death of feeling ugly..help me someone please???
Hi Lizzy.
I am unclear about whether you are having difficulty with just your eyebrows and eyelashes or also your hair. Since a lot of us have difficulty with both, I will address both.
I don’t know of any creams or meds that make hair grow faster that dooesn’t cause more problems. I tried women’s Rogaine, but it only stimulates hair growth as long as you use it. It is very expensive and causes health problems and alters a person’s blood pressure. (Ask a pharmacist, and they will tell you that Rogaine was originally formulated as a blood pressure medication and researchers found that it tended to stimulate hair growth in patients taking it.) So, as soon as you stop using it, which you will either because it costs so much or because your hair grew in, your hair will fall out. That isn’t an answer and it isn’t worth it.
I would suggest eating protein (what hair is mostly made of), taking Omega 3 & 6 acids (flaxseed Oil, Fish Oil–you can find it in the store or health food store in capsules), and a very good vitamin & mineral supplement. The best vitamins I have ever taken is called Vita Sun Super One Plex. You may be able to get them from your Health Food Store (mine cost $27.95 for 90, take one a day, that is three months worth. Not a bad price). Good vitamins and healthy eating promotes hair regrowth. I would also suggest eliminating caffeine – Coke, Pepsi, etc, and Coffee because they make people more anxious and make the urge to pull worse.
. About your boyfriend, if he has understanding and empathy (can sense how you feel about things, emotions, and is compassionate) it might be best to just come out and tell him. (If he is not compassionate or if he is critical of you, he may very well be adding to your stress/anxiety and thus be a big part of the hair pulling problem.) I might suggest finding some information about it on the web or a book in the library which may help him understand it and why people pull their hair. (No, you are not crazy or bad or stupid or any of those things, and we all tend to be ashamed about it but there really is nothing to be ashamed of.) Be kind to yourself!
Tabitha
Hi everyone.
I hope you all won’t mind if I contribute a little more to this page. I will probably echo a lot of what you all have said, and you all probably know most of this stuff, but perhaps someone might find an idea that may help or alleviate the problem.
I started pulling at age 40 after an abusive marriage and subsequent divorce. I had never pulled my hair before that. I think Sarah is right, I think trich. stems from a neurological imbalance of some sort.
I feel embarrassed and ashamed of my hair pulling as well. A person doesn’t have to be nutty to have a hair pulling problem. Some of us have a great deal of anxiety that we don’t know how to deal with. Even my dog, when he is very anxious, pulls out the hair on his legs with his teeth until he has bald spots. It is a compulsive disorder like chewing one’s fingernails but short fingernails are much easier to deal with than bald spots. Still, I believe most of it is neurochemical. The researchers estimate that 3% of the population have trich. so there are more of us than we realize; people like me hide it and don’t talk about it.
Some of us, like myself, need to learn better how to cope and find out what situations or people cause us anxiety (triggers) that tend to lead to pulling. Then we have to replace the pulling with something else, like playing with a Koosh ball or something that feels good to play with in your hands. I crochet with soft yarn as soon as I find myself pulling, maybe for hours until it goes away. You may have another interest that might work for you. Another thing that works for me is I pick up my journal/diary or just loose paper and start writing away at anything that comes to mind, basically emptying my worries and anxiety out of my head and onto the page. Besides, I can’t pull my hair and hold a pen and write at the same time. Write away for hours if necessary. I found a wonderful book called “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron (she has several books) in the library. She suggests writing three pages a day to recover one’s creativity and finding the “Real You”– instead of the person other people, like parents, etc. want us to be. I find her writing exercises very helpful. Sometimes we get problems like hair pulling that are not logical and we don’t understand because in our minds we have “unfinished business” or because we feel overly controlled by someone- a parent or spouse or significant other and we feel locked up, trapped, not able to be ourselves, perhaps abused or put down. Some of us have been abused in our past. That is so common. Even if it was when we were children– it is stuck in the back of our minds, and no matter how much we push it out, it is still there. A good counselor, preferably a woman, can be very beneficial to take out our “mental garbage”. I think most of us who pull hair are very sensitive, deep thinking people who are also very self-critical, perhaps perfectionistic. Those words are good descriptors for me. I used to be anorexic and vomited what I ate, but didn’t binge. I think a lot of us are people who tend to be hard on ourselves.
I have been on tricyclic antidepressants for years and also, under doctor supervision, had tried several anti-anxiety medications that didn’t work. I have a psychiatrist now (that is not such a scary word, just a doctor who knows more about antidepressants than our regular “I have a cold” doctors) who has been working with me. She put me on Gabapentin to help me with my depression/anxiety that was not alleviated by antidepressants alone. I have found the urge to pull almost gone. That is just what worked for me. Some research has shown that antidepressants help and some people need an augmentation with other medications, such as Gabapentin or Lamictal (calms and stabilize moods, they also are prescribed for other things) alleviates
hair pulling. This would suggest that part of the reason we pull hair is a brain/central nervous system chemical or neurotransmitter inside of our CNS that is not working properly or we don’t have enough of it. I wonder how often people with trich. need this kind of medical care but their doctors don’t know it, or they are not psychiatrists, so they have not been educated on the subject so are therefore, not able to help us with it. In any case, talking to a doctor, a counselor, a dermatologist if necessary, a psychiatrist, as well has having empathic adults in your life in whom you can trust and confide in and being OPEN about the hair pulling to these people is the only way out.
For me, I am still working on it. I have to remember it is almost impossible to STOP anything, people have to REPLACE it with something better. I can’t just stop pulling my hair, it doesn’t work. I have to replace the behavior with something that doesn’t cause me to go bald, or some other bad consequence, something soothing, something that keeps my hands busy. I have to write out all my feelings in a notebook that NO ONE else reads, just let it all spill out. I need to take care of myself, find things I do myself like the baths, or massage, or YOGA, or meditation, whatever you need to feel good, and good nutrition. And I need to take care of myself. It always gets worse if I go to bed late, don’t get enough sleep, eat junk food, let myself go, don’t exercise. When I find myself doing it, I have to get up and walk around, get a drink of water, anything to get me out of that almost transe-like mode of pulling. I think when I do it it is kind of like dissociating from the world and what is bothering me. I wish pulling my hair didn’t work so well, it makes it hard to stop.
I also believe strongly in prayer, and I pray everyday/night and as God to help me not to pull out my hair. When I find myself doing it, I pray and ask God to help me have the strength to stop. I know He would want me to have my hair, and I know He helps me everyday.
Kindest Regards,
Tabitha
I Have been pulling my hair out for two years now, I’m 20. I am not a person that would take meds or go to therapy but I’m gettng really aggrevated with myself! I am constantly doing it all the time and don’t know I’m doing it! I pull out specifically thick, rough, unhealthy pieces and immediatly put them in my mouth and twist them with my fingers. My boyfriend is always nagging my to stop but I dont realize I’m doing it…Helppp
Hi Everyone,
I have just finished reading all the posts on this page and have found it really enormously helpful and interesting. There seems to be a common thread in many instances…regarding stress..upringing(childhood trauma)..coffee, junk food, chocolate and similar foods(bringing on the stress)…exercise and good food(helping). I have had problems with stress and anxiety for several years and have noticed also the personal effect of these factors in affecting it. Recently(from a few months back)..for whatever reason.. I was really stressed out and started to pull hair out from my hairline and regretted it later..but it seemed to continue..like for several weeks on and off and I was paying attention to it at the time..like why did I keep doing it!? It felt good..it was the endorphin factor but also this almost overwhelmingly powerful compulsion to just act and do that even though something sensible in me was trying to get me to just stop and not be so hasty. So the front of my hair just looks ridiculous at the moment. Some has grown back..I really hope the rest of it does too. (Does it grow back in peoples experience? I hope so! A liitle bit has come back from a couple of months back but it’s a bit patchy ..hope the rest follows) I’m going to get my hair shaved today..you know… a number one clipper cut..just to disguise it more than anything else. I have suffered the looks from people over this period, it’s really hard I know, because its not only disturbing on a personal level,, doing it..but then also having that factor of what other people may think on top of that. It doesn’t help…even people you think might be sensible enough to talk to..you can’t and they just give you funny looks.Thats just my experience though, there are a lot of good people around who seem understanding even if they don’t come out and mention it directly. Oh well..it does promote a change in oneself, some deeper looking at things is required…and i can relate to what that person said about it making us feel more humble and appreciating ourselves and others more in some way. A couple of things that I might suggest to people..they are just things that I have found help me and may help others..is to yes..improve the diet and cut out the chocolate and sweets etc..(i know this isn’t always easy, but the payoff is worth it)( i actually tried a macrobiotic brown rice fast fast for a while which worked great..really I was surprised at how I felt afterwards..de-stressed, yet energetic ,sort of positive,ambitous to some extent etc) There are healthy alternatives..I have read that Nettles promote thick healthy hair growth but it may take several months to show..drinking about three cups of strong tea of it a day (I’ve just started this so I’ll see how it goes). yes fish oil also seems really good in promoting clear and sensible thinking. Magnesium..big help..really..great to calm the nerves..and relax a bit..a good dose. I would also recomend some simple straightforward self observation because as we learn about ourselves we also learn how to change ourselves. I found some free courses which have helped me, they can be done online too. They are sort of, well really are, of a spiritual nature but they are very sensible and practical…not wishy washy…regarding self observation and change. You can find them at http://www.gnosticweb.com . Also there are some exercises called the five rights..in a book called “the eye of revelation” that are great for feeling good. It’s from early last century and is out of copyright and in the public domain.You can probably find a copy online or I can send a PDF file to anyone if they wanted it. It’s my first time here so not sure how this works..just found it through an online search on this hair pulling out/stress thing. Thanks for the input of everyone here each message has helped me understand things better as it’s hard getting through these things by yourself. Good luck and best wishes to everyone.
I’m 17 years old and i started to pull out my eyelashes in the 8th grade when i came to a new school. I was stressed out by all the work and what my mom expected me to do…the school is super hard, harder than any school i’ve been to, that after the 1st semester, i started pull my lashes out and i didn’t even notice it….I’ve gotten help, but it doesn’t seem to help with anything. if anyone knows of any medicine that could help control my urge to pull please tell me…thank you
Hello,
I’ve been pulling (and picking at my skin-which is apparently related) since I was about twelve or thirteen. My skin picking is really bad and my hair too. I haven’t seen any other comments about this yet, but when I pick my hair, it is as if my fingers are searching for particular hairs. I have usually straight hair, but every once in a while I’ll have a crinkly hair that simply “must” come out. I’ll also pull at my eyebrows. Any others out there like this?