Trichotillomania is also known as impulse control disorder or compulsive hair pulling. It is a disorder in which people have the irresistible, tempting urge to pull out their own hair from different areas of the body including the scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes, etc. The continuous process of pulling the body hair can lead to baldness or thinning of hair.
In trichotillomania, the important thing is the compulsive desire that is uncontrollable. The disorder is very stressful for those people who suffer from it. Continuous hair pulling from the scalp can cause bald spots.
Table of Contents
What factors trigger Trichotillomania?
Since it is an impulsive control disorder, there are some factors that trigger the trichotillomania condition. Thus, people want to pull more hair for satisfaction.
Age:
Often, trichotillomania is developed at the age of 10 to 13 years. Some kids may also develop this disorder but it may go away without the need for medical assistant.
Emotions:
Usually, negative emotions can also trigger this situation. People start pulling their hair when they are emotionally distressed such as bored, frustrated, alone, or tired.
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Inheritance:
Inheritance also plays an important role in the condition of trichotillomania. It is common in those people who have trichotillomania affected by close relatives in the family.
Signs & Symptoms
You should be aware of the following signs and symptoms of trichotillomania:
- Continuously and repeatedly pulling out hair from scalp, eyebrows, or eyelashes. Sometimes, they target the other areas of the body.
- Another symptom is the feeling of relaxation after hair pulling.
- The major sign of trichotillomania is noticeable hair thinning, bald patches, or missing hair from eyebrows.
- Constantly try to stop pulling the hair and always end up more pulling the hair.
- Behavior problems in which you start chewing or eating the hair.
- Problems at work, schools, or office just because of hair pulling habit.
Misdiagnose trichotillomania with Alopecia areata
Many people misdiagnose trichotillomania with alopecia areata. Alopecia areata is a kind of hair loss that occurs in the form of patches and totally different from trichotillomania.
There are two main reasons why do people mix trichotillomania with alopecia areata:
- For an unprofessional person, both diseases look similar and it is hard to choose the right one.
- Sometimes, people feel ashamed to tell their doctor about this hair pulling habit. It is common in teenagers and children who do not even tell their parents about it.
How to diagnosis trichotillomania?
The symptoms play an important role during the diagnosis of trichotillomania. There is no proper diagnostic test available for this condition. In diagnosis, the doctor can identify your physical and mental health problems that trigger hair pulling mechanisms. In this condition, a doctor may also ask multiple questions and then diagnosis trichotillomania.
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Certain complications due to trichotillomania
Severe cases of trichotillomania can lead to certain complications that have a negative impact on your life. These complications can be:
Skin and hair damage:
Hair pulling can damage the skin and hair by scarring and other problems such as infections to the scalp or skin area. The infection can also stop the growth from those areas permanently.
Social problems:
When you pull your hair, you will start embarrassing. It reduces your social interaction with others. Trichotillomania patients may use wings or fake eyelashes to comfort themselves.
Hairballs:
Hairball can be formed in the digestive tract due to continuous eating hair. It can cause vomiting, weight loss, intestinal problems, or even lead to death.
Emotional problems:
People with trichotillomania may be emotionally disturbed because of shame and embarrassment. These people may also experience depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. Some people also start taking drugs to overcome their emotional problems.
Tips for hair regrowth for Trichotillomania
Trichotillomania is a serious condition that can badly affect a person’s life. People are always worried about this disorder and cannot talk about this condition to anyone. To hair grow, we are here to provide you with trichotillomania hair regrowth tips. These tips are also effective because they can help to stop hair pulling behavior.
Eyelashes serum:
To treat trichotillomania, you can use over-the-counter eyelash serum on your eyebrows and eyelashes. It contains important ingredients that play an important role in growing your hair. The best way is to apply the serum at night that can encourage hair regrowth.
Biotin supplements:
Biotin is an essential vitamin that has many great effects on our skin and hair. It is a water-soluble vitamin that helps to convert some nutrients into energy. People with trichotillomania should use biotin supplements regularly that stimulate hair regrowth. It also provides strengthen to the roots and hair follicles that can be effective to get rid of hair loss.
Many foods including kidney, egg yolk, legumes, soybeans, whole grains, and mushrooms contain biotin, thus you can use these foods for hair growth.
Regular massage:
Regular massage can stimulate the roots and regulate blood circulation, so it enhances the growth of hair. It helps to reduce stress by lowering the blood pressure level and heart rate.
Moreover, it keeps you busy to use fingers in constructive exercises that produce the opposite effect of trichotillomania.
Essential oils:
Hair growth can be stimulated with the use of essential oils. You can apply lavender oil, rosemary oil, and other oils that increase hair to grow back and also reduce the hair pulling habit.
Exercise:
As trichotillomania is due to stress, it is important to do regular exercise. It helps to reduce stress and regulate hair flow. Another reason is that stress and mental reduces hair regrowth, therefore you should do
Cover your hair:
You should use a scarf to cover your hair. Additionally, you can use slippery cream on your hair that can prevent hair pulling because you are not able to hold the hair.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT):
Cognitive behavioral therapy is a psychological treatment that focuses on a person’s thinking, behaviors, and feelings that stimulate hair pulling. When you identify the stressor and the situations, you may be able to reduce the stress by doing something else.
Pull bracelet:
It is a plain bracelet that allows you to add charm or beads onto the bracelet to reduce the urge of hair pulling. Pull bracelet chart your progress against the hair pulling disorder. When more beads accumulated, you feel good and stop the hair pulling process.
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT):
This therapy helps people to avoid the desire and craving for hair pulling. The goal of acceptance and commitment therapy is that to accept the urge. Then, commit to yourself to remove this hair pulling behavior.
Healthy diet:
A healthy diet can make your skin and hair healthy. If you suffer from hair pulling disorder, you should eat a diet that contains a large amount of minerals, proteins, and minerals. In this condition, green vegetables are effective for the stimulation of hair growth. Moreover, food enriched with protein is another source that increases hair regrowth.
Talk to your family:
When you do not tell anyone about this condition, it increases the stress that ultimately led to hair pulling process. Once you talk to your family, it will relax you and change your behavior. The family and friends provide emotional support to get rid of anxiety and depression. It is one of the best ways to minimize the habit of hair pulling.
Habit reverser training:
This training teaches patients to recognize thoughts that occur before the hair pulling process. By doing this, they can do something else to stop this urge of hair pulling. For instance, you may start clenching your fists instead of pulling hair.
Use different hair growth products:
There are multiple trichotillomania hair regrowth products are available in the market that can help to stimulate hair growth.
Black castor oil: It is less sticky than yellow castor oil, so it is easy to apply to the hair in the condition of trichotillomania.
Trichup oil: It improves blood circulation to the tissues and hair follicles that stimulate hair growth.
Minoxidil: This product is usually used for both hair loss treatment as well as hair regrowth. It takes a few months to observe a noticeable result.
Conclusion
Trichotillomania is hair pulling disorder that is stimulated due to stress, anxiety, and emotional problems. If you’re suffering from this disease, you should follow these basic tips. These tips are harmless and simple that does not harm your health.
People may try different tips and can get rid of this disorder by following them. Once your hair growth is started, your self-confidence will improve. Additionally, your hair pulling behavior will also reduce when you see your hair regrowth.
