A 43-year-old member asked:
what are the symptoms of trichotillomania?
2 doctor answers • 6 doctors weighed in

Dr. Vikas Duvvuri answered
Psychiatry 16 years experience
Hair pulling: Trichotillomania involves hair pulling that results in hair loss, and the pulling doesn't stop after hair starts thinning out.
5558 viewsReviewed May 8, 2019

Dr. Andrew Berry answered
Clinical Psychology 14 years experience
HAIR PLUCKING: This is an anxiety disorder characterized by plucking out patched of hair. The worse the anxiety, the more the hair gets pulled out. Meds and therapy together can be very effective.
2276 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
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Similar questions
A 32-year-old member asked:
How can someone tell me about trichotillomania?
3 doctor answers • 8 doctors weighed in

Dr. Richard Bensinger answered
Ophthalmology 52 years experience
Hair pulling: This is a psychogenic disorder a little worse than just a bad habit, in which hairs are plucked from various parts of the body. Since the eyelashes and eyebrows are so ready available, they are common sites of hair removal in this disorder. It requires some psychological counseling and occasional pharmacologic support to cause it to stop.
5940 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 32-year-old member asked:
How can someone help a person with my trichotillomania?
1 doctor answer • 4 doctors weighed in

Dr. Joseph Eastern answered
Dermatology 44 years experience
Psychiatrist: Don't yell at me - i'm not saying you're "crazy", because you are not. If you had a stomach or nerve disorder you would go to a stomach or nerve specialist. When you have a compulsive disorder like trichotillomania, you go to a compulsion specialist, a psychiatrist, who will help you figure out why you are pulling your hair out, and suggest ways to help you stop doing it.
5860 viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Alison Segal commented
General Practice 19 years experience
There are also therapists who are trained in a specific type of cognitive behavioral therapy called habit reversal training who can help.
Oct 24, 2012
A 33-year-old member asked:
How can I cure my trichotillomania?
2 doctor answers • 8 doctors weighed in

Dr. Joseph Eastern answered
Dermatology 44 years experience
Psychiatrist: Don't yell at me - i'm not saying you're "crazy", because you are not. If you had a stomach or nerve disorder you would go to a stomach or nerve specialist. When you have a compulsive disorder like trichotillomania, you go to a compulsion specialist, a psychiatrist, who will help you figure out why you are pulling your hair out, and suggest ways to help you stop doing it. Get the help you need.
5860 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
What is the treatment for trichotillomania?
2 doctor answers • 12 doctors weighed in

Dr. J. Kirk Clopton answered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Medication: Trichotillomania symptoms can be increased by anxiety, so therapy to manage anxiety can be helpful in diminishing the symptoms. It used to be thought of as primarily an OCD disorder, but is now recognized as a tic disorder. Medications that are effective in treating tic disorders can be very effective.
5790 viewsReviewed >2 years ago

A Verified Doctor commented
A US doctor answered Learn more
Some of my patients who have failed multiple treatments have found a wig to work just fine.
Aug 28, 2013
A 43-year-old member asked:
What is trichotillomania?
1 doctor answer • 6 doctors weighed in

Dr. Josephine Ruiz-healy answered
Pediatrics 39 years experience
Pulling ur hair out.: It is an uncontrollable urge to pull or twist your hair out.
It is categorized as an impulse control disorder.
5670 viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Alison Segal commented
General Practice 19 years experience
Sometimes people are aware of the "urge" to pull and at times they are highly unaware. This impulsive behavior appears to help individuals regulate their nervous system.
May 22, 2014
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Last updated May 8, 2019
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