A Retrospective Review of 12 Patients with Trichotillomania Treated in a Psychodermatology Service
January 2019
in “
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology
”
TLDR The review found that individualized treatment and teamwork are important for trichotillomania, and patients who followed through with treatment often improved.
The retrospective review focused on 12 patients with trichotillomania, an obsessive-compulsive disorder characterized by hair pulling, treated at a psychodermatology service between 2011 and 2016. The patients, 11 females and 1 male, ranged in age from 23 to 71, with various ethnic backgrounds. Most were referred by dermatologists, and many had comorbid conditions such as depression, anxiety, learning difficulties, and other physical disorders. Treatment strategies varied, including referrals to mental health services, in-house psychology, and recommendations for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Habit reversal techniques were also suggested. The study found a high rate of appointment defaulting (58%) compared to other diagnoses within the service (19.5%). However, improvements were noted in patients who engaged with the services. The authors emphasized the need for individualized treatment approaches and multidisciplinary collaboration, highlighting that cognitive behavioral therapy with habit reversal is the first-line treatment, while pharmacotherapy is considered a second-line option due to limited evidence of efficacy.
