TLDR A 16-year-old girl with a hair-eating disorder needed surgery to remove a hairball from her stomach and small bowel.
Rapunzel Syndrome, a rare form of trichobezoar, involves hair fibers extending into the small bowel, causing symptoms like abdominal mass and obstruction. This case study described a 16-year-old girl with a psychiatric history and alopecia, presenting with abdominal pain and a large intra-abdominal mass. Diagnosis was confirmed via imaging, and treatment involved surgical removal of the trichobezoar. The study emphasized the importance of early diagnosis, particularly in young females with trichophagia and mental abnormalities, and recommended a multidisciplinary approach including psychiatric evaluation to prevent recurrence.
417 citations,
March 1991 in “American Journal of Psychiatry” Most adult chronic hair pullers are women who started in their early teens, often have other mental health issues, and may pull hair due to underlying psychiatric conditions.
3 citations,
December 2001 in “Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine” Trichotillomania is a challenging-to-treat impulse-control disorder where individuals pull out their hair, more common in females, with some treatments showing benefits.
November 2023 in “Scholars academic journal of biosciences” Trichotillomania can cause severe complications like hairballs in the stomach, needing surgery and psychiatric care.
May 2022 in “European medical journal” An 11-year-old girl with Trichotillomania developed a large hairball in her stomach, treated with medication, therapy, and family education.
9 citations,
January 2014 in “World journal of gastroenterology” A gluten-free diet stopped a child's hair-eating behavior and suggested she had celiac disease.
January 2018 in “Springer eBooks” Trichotillomania is a condition where people repeatedly pull out their hair, which can be triggered by stress and has various physical signs.