Trichotillomania in Long COVID Successfully Treated with Escitalopram: A Case Report

    August 2025 in “ Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences Reports ”
    Ryuji Hata, Hiroko Sugawara, Reiko Hayashi, Yuta Okamoto, Reiko Nishihara, Takahiro Yamasaki, Akito Hatanaka, Kohei Harada, Hikaru Hori
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    TLDR Escitalopram helped a woman with hair-pulling due to long COVID.
    This case report describes a 53-year-old woman who developed trichotillomania (TTM) as a symptom of long COVID, characterized by compulsive hair-pulling leading to hair loss. The patient, who had no prior psychiatric history, began exhibiting symptoms such as irritability, restlessness, and hair-pulling one week after contracting COVID-19. Upon admission to the hospital, she was treated with escitalopram, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), which led to significant improvement in her symptoms. Her hair gradually regrew, and she was discharged after approximately 3 months. This case suggests that TTM in long COVID may be effectively treated with escitalopram, although further research is needed to understand the pathophysiology and treatment of TTM and long COVID.
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