Trichotillomania
Therapy to change your hair-pulling behaviour is t he most effective method of treatingtrichotillomania.
This should be combined with a network of emotional support.
Medications used to treat other psychological health conditions, such as depression and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) , are sometimes also used in cases of trichotillomaina.
However, there's no evidence to suggest that any type of medication is effective in treating trichotillomania.
Psychotherapy is a talking therapy often usedto treat emotional problems and mental health conditions. You or your child can discuss emotional issues with a specially trained therapist.
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) isa type of psychotherapy that may be recommended. It canhelp you address your thoughts about yourself, your relationships with others, andhow you relateto the world around you.
CBT may also involve behavioural therapy, which aims to help you change the way you behave for example, reducing your hair-pulling behaviour.It's also known ashabit-reversal therapy, and could include:
If you have trichotillomania, it's likely you're experiencing emotional distress, such as feelings of self-loathing and guilt.
It's important you receive emotional support to help youcope with these feelings. This may be from family, friends ora self-help group.
In the UK, there are a number of regional trichotillomania support groups you can contact.
Trichotillomania can be particularlydistressing for families ofchildren and young adults who pull their hair out.
Pulling your hair out may be a way of communicating distress to your family, but they mayfeel powerless to help you. In this situation, family therapy may be suggested.
A therapist will meetthe whole family to explore their views and relationships, and understandany problems the family may be having. It helps family members communicate better with each other.
Family therapy can beparticularly useful when a child or young person has a serious problem, such as trichotillomania,that's affecting the rest of the family.
The family can work together to address the issue that's causing you to pull your hair out, andseek support for any distress caused toother family members.
Several medications have beenused totreat trichotillomania, although there haven't been many large-scale clinical trials on them.
If the healthcare professional treating you recommends a particular medication, they should discussthepossible risks and benefits with you, including any side effects.
In the past, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have been used to treat trichotillomania, although there's some evidence to suggest they're not effective. SSRIs are often used to treat depression and anxiety disorders.
For children under the age of18, the recommended SSRIs are sertraline and fluoxetine. These should only be used under the supervision of amental health specialist, such as a specialist child and adolescent psychiatrist. This is a qualified medical doctor who's been trained in treating childhood mental health conditions.
Clomipramineis another medicine that may be recommended for trichotillomania. It's often used to treat depression and obsessional states.
A child under 18 years of age being treated with clomipramine should be supervised by a specialist child and adolescent psychiatrist.
Clomipramine has been tested as a treatment for trichotillomania and has been found tobe effective at reducing hair-pulling behaviours.
Small trials have been carried out for other medicines, butnot enough is known about their effectiveness. In particular,there's alack of research into medicines used to treat children with trichotillomania.
If you're concerned about the bald patches on your head, you can buy wigs made from real hair or man-made fibres. Wigs made from real hair look more natural, but are more expensive and harder to look after.
Wigs are available from the NHS, but you'll usually have to pay for them unless you qualify for help with charges.
If you've pulled out your eyebrow hair, it may be possible to use an eyebrow pencil or have tattoos. You can use false eyelashes if you've pulled out your eyelashes, or you can use make-up to add more definition to your eyes.
Alopecia UK has some useful information about wigs , plus a section about appearance tips that you may also find helpful.
Trichotillomania is a condition where a person feels compelled to pull their hair out.
Most people with trichotillomania pull out hair from their scalp, but some pull out hair from other areas, such as their eyebrows, eyelashes and genital area.
There's no single cause of trichotillomania but there are a number of theories about why it may occur. It may be a reflection of a mental health problem.
You should visit your GP if you are pulling your hair out, or if you notice that your child is.
The most effective treatment for trichotillomania is therapy that aims to change your hair-pulling behaviour, combined with a network of emotional support.
Trichotillomania (hair pulling) can have a significant impact on your quality of life. It can also cause further medical problems.