Trichotillomania: A Review of Impulse-Control Disorder and Treatment Options
December 2001
in “
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine
”
Studysummary This review discusses trichotillomania, its diagnosis, prevalence, potential brain abnormalities, and current treatment options, and offers no new clinical findings. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.
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.
