TLDR Trichotillomania is a challenging-to-treat impulse-control disorder where individuals pull out their hair, more common in females, with some treatments showing benefits.
In the 2001 review, trichotillomania was described as an impulse-control disorder causing individuals to pull out their hair, resulting in noticeable hair loss. It was noted to be more prevalent in females and could lead to serious complications like trichobezoar formation. The condition had a reported prevalence of 0.5% among 17-year-olds in Israel and 0.6% in freshman college students. Diagnosing trichotillomania presented challenges, such as distinguishing it from other hair loss causes and inconsistent MRI findings regarding brain abnormalities. Treatment options included SSRIs and cognitive-behavioral therapy, with haloperidol and iron therapy being effective in some cases. The review highlighted the difficulty in treating trichotillomania and its potentially prolonged course, but also acknowledged the substantial benefits of modern treatments.
26 citations,
January 1993 in “Dermatology” Exclamation mark hairs are not exclusive to alopecia areata.
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.
May 2017 in “InTech eBooks” Hair pulling disorder is treated with therapy and medication; hair loss from tension can be reversed if caught early.
January 2017 in “International journal of science and research” Trichotillomania is a chronic hair-pulling disorder, more common in females, treated with therapy and sometimes medication.
2 citations,
January 2023 in “Journal of Education, Health and Sport” Cognitive-behavioral therapy with habit reversal training is the most effective treatment for trichotillomania.
8 citations,
September 2021 in “Skin appendage disorders” Trichotillomania treatment is most successful with a mix of behavioral therapy, medication, and social support.
30 citations,
August 2018 in “Dermatology and Therapy” Better-designed, long-term studies are needed to optimize treatment for trichotillomania and trichophagia.
November 2023 in “Scholars academic journal of biosciences” Trichotillomania can cause severe complications like hairballs in the stomach, needing surgery and psychiatric care.
