Iain Sallis Explains Trichotillamania – The Condition Which Sees Sufferers Literally Pull Their Hair Out

You will usually find that suffers repetitively pluck their hair in times of stress or as a comforter

Nov 2010

Iain Sallis is one of the country's few professional trichologists, or 'hair doctors' - on a daily basis, Iain looks into the causes and effects of hair problems, examines the ineffectiveness and even damage which can be caused by salon related hair products and examines such issues as the harsh, destructive chemicals widely used by modern day hairdressers.

Iain is also a walking dictionary when it comes to troubling hair conditions and he’s currently looking into the hair condition, Trichotillamania.

Trichotillamania is the habitual psychological disorder which is defined where the person pulls their own hair out!

This is more common than people think (and can be seen in the animal kingdom too) hair twiddles and constant strokers are all mild versions of the same thing, as is ‘Trichophagia’ which is the habitual eating of hair!

Trichotillamania is actually classed in the same category as obsessive compulsive disorders (OCD) and self harmers, The severity can be varied between severe (full or partial head plucked) or mild (one place in particular, ends of the hair or eyebrows/eyelashes).

You will usually find that suffers repetitively pluck their hair in times of stress or as a comforter the same way babies sometimes play with their mother’s hair whilst falling asleep in their arms.

The main problem of this is that most people who suffer from it do not know that they are doing it (it’s so habitual) or they are in total denial that they do it.

This is not a hair problems per-say; there is nothing wrong with the hair! The hair loss is usually patchy and irregular, and characterized by broken hairs of varying length. Within the patches, hair loss is not complete. As long as the hair trauma was not severe or chronic enough to cause scarring, the hair will re-grow when the trauma is stopped.

The best thing to do if you are concerned that you or a loved one is suffering from Trichotillamania is to speak with their GP, who should then arrange suitable counselling or a cognitive therapist to deal with this problem.