What is Trichotillomania?
Trichotillomania can be defined as a type of impulse control disorder, those suffering with the issue experiencing an uncontrollable urge to pull out their hair, typically from the scalp, eyebrows, and eyelashes. Individuals suffering with this type of disorder know that, by acting on these hair pulling impulses, they are likely to cause damage to their hairline and overall hair thickness, but they are unable to stop.
Other symptoms of Trichotillomania besides the repeated pulling of hair include:
• Issues or distress in social life as a result of hair pulling.
• Bald spots where hair has been pulled.
• Feeling stressed or tense when trying to resist urges to pull hair, or before hair pulling.
• A sense of relief or satisfaction when acting on the impulse to pull hair.
• Chewing on hair.
• Eating hair.
• Hair twirling or pulling hair between teeth.
• Inspecting the hair root.
Those with Trichotillomania may try to hide that they are suffering with the disorder, hiding their hair loss with hats, and false eyelashes or eyebrows.
A typical treatment type for those diagnosed with Trichotillomania is a behaviour therapy referred to as ‘habit reversal training’, which works to teach individuals to replace bad habits like hair pulling with behaviours that are not harmful to them. This could be something as simple as making the hand they would usually use for hair pulling into a first. Habit reversal training is also used to address any harmful thinking a Trichotillomania sufferer may be experiencing, as this could be seen to add to the stress known to trigger such behaviours.
While, in most cases, Trichotillomania is an impulse control disorder that is treated relatively easily, long term sufferers of the issue may be seen to experience complications commonly associated with hair pulling, such as skin damage and infection, or even permanent hair thinning or hair loss.
If you find that you are suffering permanent damage to your hair, such as hair loss or hair thinning, as a result of Trichotillomania and are looking for a long term solution, hair transplant treatment may offer the results that you are looking for. Why not visit our dedicated Hair Loss Treatment page and discover what our hair loss clinic can do to restore your confidence and your hair line!
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