# trichotillomania?



## Jade (Dec 18, 2008)

This is long..so bear with me
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 My cousin, who is 15, had spent the night at my apartment the other night. Now for the past 3 years, I can honestly say, thta I have never seen this girl without her baseball cap on. I always just chalked it up to her being a total tomboy. When I came home from my jog, she was in the room talking on the phone, had her hat off. I noticed that she had a lot of bald patched. Tons. She barely had any hair on the top or left side of her head. Thing is, with her cap on, her hair in the back is quite long and healthy looking, so this was quite a shock for me. Instead of embarrassing her, cause I'm sure she didn't hear me come in, I qalked away and went back and kinda slammed my front door. She came out..once again wearing the cap.

Needless to say, I was quite worried, I did not know anything about trichotillomania, or even what it was. So I came out and just asked her about her hair. She was actually quite open about it, she told me that she has been pulling out her hair since she was 8. We talked a lot about it..then she started crying because all her friends are starting to get jobs and she says she can't because she simply cannot remove her cap, most interviews it's not acceptable to wear hats. She can't afford a wig, so that's out of the question. She says as much as she wants to, she cannot contro; the pulling. This was all so heartbreaking to me 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 So for the past day I have been reading up a lot on the internet about it. I feel so dumb that I have NEVER heard of this before. Just wondering if any of you have ever suffered, or are still suffering from this? How did you deal with it?(the getting employment and so on). What were some methods you used to overcome it? I'm seeing her again in a few days, and she wants to talk about it some more, so it would be great to get some opinions/help from people that have suffered or are suffering from it. TIA!


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## nunu (Dec 18, 2008)

I have been suffering from trichotilmania for 9 and a half years 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. I have come a long way though because i used to always pull the hair from the root and cause bold patches, now i just tear the hair in half. Sometime i do find myself pulling the hair from the root. I tried to stop but somehow my hand just finds it's way there.

I'm sorry about your cousin it must be awful having to wear a cap all the time. My hair is thick and when i pull it i go deep inside where the patch won't be visible or obvious to others. I learnt to do that when people started noticing little bold patches around my head.


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## glamourgirl216 (Dec 18, 2008)

I also have been suffering from this since I was about 8 or 9 yrs old. It was really bad when I was about 11yrs old. I used to only wear my hair in a high pony tail to cover the bald spot i had created on the center of my head. Until one day my mom found out and got so upset at me. 

Now I do notice that when I'm stressing out or depressed I begin pulling again, and my hubby points it out and tries to make me stop & to be honest most of the time u don't even notice ur doing it to  yourself. And till this day I haven't completely stopped, my hair has grown back (the area is still thinner then the rest of my hair). And I also try not to pull from one isolated section. I think that for me, being aware that i had a problem  was my wake up call,& it helped me begin to control it. When I do catch myself I feel so guilty and try to stop. 
I don't know about your cousin's life, but I started doing this to myself when me & my family was going through a lot, I feel it was my way of coping with all my problems. So maybe you should talk with your cousin some more and see what is going on with her. Maybe her opening up to you will help her acknowledge her problem and she can get help.

good luck with everything. thanks for sharing. it's kinda of weird but, speaking about this has made me feel  a little better. Kinda like I'm not alone. we're all here for each other! xoxo!


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## deven.marie (Dec 18, 2008)

I have had trich since I was 7 years old. I always pull my hair from the same spot on the top of my head, which means i have a little bald spot up there.. and I always pull my hair out from the root. 

I really only do this when I get stressed, what happens is the "spot" gets really tender and starts to feel sore, and i feel the urge to pull hairs out. Its almost like Tourette's, its like an extreme urge to pick hairs out. Its like something is forcing me to do it and I cant help it. And after i pull the hairs out i feel much better.. I really cant control it no matter how hard I try, sometimes I do it without realizing, such as when Im watching TV. My boyfriend tries to help me stop by pointing out when im doing it, and rubbing the spot to take away some of the tension. 

Last year it was so bad that I made my mom completely shave the little area, so that I couldnt pick at it anymore, hoping it would "train" me to stop. Luckily my spot is only about the size of a dime so I could cover it up with the rest of my hair. But now that it's grown back I have began picking at it again, and even when i dont pick at it, the hair is a lot thinner and more fragile than the rest of my hair when it grows back.

I think I also did it because of family and personal issues that I have been dealing with since I was a kid..


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## deven.marie (Dec 18, 2008)

People with trichotillomania also pull hair out from other parts of their body, like eyelashes or arm hair.

I sometimes pick at my eyebrows too..


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## ohnna-lee (Dec 18, 2008)

I don't see why she can't wear some kind of scarf or something. A trade mark like her ball cap. Just fold it into a wide length and tie it back behind her hair. 

There are products in the market to make your eyelashes grow in more denser so I can imagine there are other products for the scalp.

Being aware of what you are doing and why you are doing it will help a lot. I used to sit and tweeze my bikini line for hours on end. It never really phased me and when I heard about the disorder or condition of hair pulling, it got me worried. I guess growing up with a brother that used to pull chunks of hair out... I ended up tramatized and never really went there. But the bikini line is an area that you really do not wish hair to be, and if you do damage it isn't recognizable to the public. 

When I started getting grays I was also concerned about pulling them out, luckily I knew about the condition and have not progressed.


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## BEA2LS (Dec 18, 2008)

my aunt pulls out her eyelashes, i am not sure if this is the same thing, though. she has no lashes at this point and did this her whole life. she wears falsies everyday but it's an easier area. i do not have any advice really but wanted to let you know that i also have a loved one who does this. i feel bad


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## ohnna-lee (Dec 18, 2008)

Trichotillomania (hair-pulling disorder): Symptoms - MayoClinic.com


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## HeavenLeiBlu (Dec 18, 2008)

I used to suffer from this. I think it started when I was about 8 years old.  I sorta got shamed into doing it.... then as my bald patches got worse, I was shamed into modifying my compulsion. I used to get teased a lot. I've always had lots of hair, and in some Black communities, having lots of hair is something people are envious of, so I guess out of jealousy, I was accused of wearing wigs or some sort if fake hair (as a child! CRAZY!). So other girls would pull may hair, snatch my ribbons, barrettes, etc. In my mind, I figured if I didn't have so much hair, I wouldn't be targeted, so I began pulling it out, and it felt good. I wouldn't be satisfied unless I got the hairs from the root, and the bulb was attached. I did it alone, and since my mother couldn't afford to try and send me to a doctor to determine if my hair was just falling out or if I was just pulling it out, she assumed it was just falling out, and styled my hair in a way to disguise it. I still had a lot of hair, so the only place that bald patches were noticeable were in my temples and sideburn areas.

Once I was old enough to do my own hair, I felt ashamed of the bald temples/sideburns so I began to just cut my hair instead of just pulling it from the roots, so it didn't look so obvious. So of course, all the way though high school, I had short hair. Actually, by the end of high school, I cut all my hair completely off ( yes almost bald). I didn't start growing my hair out until maybe 7 or so years ago, but I constantly trimmed my hair. It wasn't until 3 years ago, when I started my dreadlocks that I stopped trimming it almost every week. I still trim my hair every 6 to 8 weeks though, which is a vast improvement. that's about a normal time scale that people trim their hair anyway.  My temples have crown back, but if you look closely at my sideburns, you can see that they're then in comparison to the rest of my hair.  My attitude over time has become " It's just hair, it'll grow back".

Please talk to your cousin's parents and get her some help; and if you can, try to raise money to get her a nice wig while she deals with this. Good luck!


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## ashley8119 (Dec 18, 2008)

I have had trich since I was 12. I'm surprised (and a bit relieved) to see that others go through this struggle. I've never encountered another person who had it, therefore I've always felt like a "freak" because of it. 

I don't pull from my head though, I pull my eyebrows, arm hair, and pubic hair (this was before I started grooming it) mostly. I have pictures of myself from 9th grade homecoming with bald spots in my eyebrows and it breaks my heart to see it. I occasionally find myself pulling my hair from those places, but I try to stop. It's hard though, it's not a choice, it's more so an obsessive compulsive behavior. Trich is often associated with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), which I also suffer from.


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## ohnna-lee (Dec 19, 2008)

A year back I would always find myself running my fingers through my eyelashes to get the lose ones.... fast forward a couple months later and where there used to be three rows of dense lashes there was barely one. I made the consious effort to stop, it is so easy though because my eyes are extremely sensitive and when you feel a little tickle. OHNNNNAAA get your ass UP and look in the damned mirror. I would find myself scolding myself because I never had anyone to break me of the habit.


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## Dice1233 (Dec 19, 2008)

You're in Canada- can she see a psychiatrist without going bankrupt?  Some people with OCD can overcome it with counseling +/- medication. I would certainly encourage her to have a doctor's opinion to be safe.  I also love the idea that someone suggested above for anyone who knows her to pitch in to get her a wig to get her started.


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## QTAllStarGurl (Dec 19, 2008)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *BEA2LS* 

 
_my aunt pulls out her eyelashes, i am not sure if this is the same thing, though. she has no lashes at this point and did this her whole life. she wears falsies everyday but it's an easier area. i do not have any advice really but wanted to let you know that i also have a loved one who does this. i feel bad 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 
I do the same thing...I wear falsies pretty much daily now b/c i've pulled out over half of my lashes...most of the time i dont even notice im doing it until someone points it out i started pulling them out my junior year in high school nd im a sophmore in college now so thats like four years...so i started wearing lashes more often last year b/c i realized if I wore false lashes that I have a harder time getting to my real ones so I dont pull them out as much..but once I take the falsies off I start pulling them out again


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## meaghanb2926 (Dec 19, 2008)

I've had trich since I was 12 too...I pull from the root on the crown of my head.  I actually chew/swallow the root too...I finally stopped (mostly) about a year ago and while it has grown back, my hair is really thin.  Fortunately I'm pretty tall so most people can't tell but I am really careful about not letting people sit or stand behind me.  I found that having my hair highlighted really helps because the lighter color makes it less noticeable. As another mentioned, trich is associated with OCD so sometimes medication can help. I have found that making sure my hair is washed everyday lessens the urge. Wearing my hair pulled back helps too.  Its definitely sad as it seems to hit most girls around 12 to 15 (some have said it has to do in part to hormones too) which is of course when girls are so vulnerable and just want to fit in.  I would suggest that your cousin definitely see someone to talk about why she pulls (what is she feeling when she has the urge), what brings it on (stress usually) and perhaps maybe getting medication to help with the urges....


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## COBI (Dec 19, 2008)

I've never suffered from this, but our Relay for Life theme two years ago was the "Look Good, Feel Better" program.  For our team site, I had purchased several wigs (from ebay, I believe or at least a company I found through ebay) for less $15 each plus about $20 shipping for 5 wigs.  I think all 5 wigs were less than $90 with shipping (some wigs were $10).

I was amazed at the quality of the wigs.  They looked really good, and not just they look good for $10 wigs; they actually looked really good even compared to much more expensive wigs.


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## NutMeg (Dec 19, 2008)

I pull out hairs from my eyebrows and eyelashes. Every once in a while I pull out hair from my head and eat it. I also pick at the hair growing in on my legs and bikini line with tweezers... which leaves scars. I don't generally show my legs because of it.

Ick. It made me nervous just writing that.


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## Girl about town (Dec 19, 2008)

i had it for a while when i was 15 or 16 i had one small bald patch, i was going through a stressful time with school etc at the time, i eventually stopped doing it on my own, although i now compulsively pick at my scalp instead, i try to stop but its really hard!!!


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## MACLovin (Dec 19, 2008)

Wow, I really had no idea people suffered from this.. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  I mean I knew some pulled their hair out but I thought it was just anxiety or stress that caused it, didn't know it was an actual disorder. I am confused about the eating part though, what do you eat -- the actual hair? or the follicle? And what exactly is the compulsion to eat it?


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## blondemafia76 (Dec 20, 2008)

Mine is a weirder affliction attributed to trich- I rub at the hairs on my arms, causing a bald stripe, and often, sores. I do (did) this with out thinking about it and often in my sleep. People used to thinkl I shaved my arms- it was weird. But i was awfully stressed and I had to see a DR about it. I find myself doing it absent mindedly now, and quickly stop myself. It was a long time of therapy that had to retrain myself to do something else. Poor kid, please get her to talk to someone. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 And good luck.


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## argyle_socks (Dec 28, 2008)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *NutMeg* 

 
_Every once in a while I pull out hair from my head and eat it.._

 
Same here. I don't really know why, or even what compelled me to start doing that, that was a hard time for me and I have tried with some success to black tht period out of my mind. But, if you pull so much with tweezers, why don't you try something like freezing your tweezers in a block of ice? Because then if you really need them for something like your brows, you have them, but you won't be tempted to just grab them and go to town. I dunno. 

Ive been pulling for 12 years (more than half my lifetime!!), but I've got it (most) under control right now. I'm on medication, but I think that also has to do with my other problems. I also keep my hair short. Why doesn't your cousin try a pixie cut or something? 
I pull mostly from my head, but I also pull a lot from my pubic region. Since I've pulled down there so much, someof the hairs have stopped growing back. That isn't a problem right now, but if I ever have a serious boyfriend, I don't know what I'll do.


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## ohnna-lee (Dec 28, 2008)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *argyle_socks* 

 
_Same here. I don't really know why, or even what compelled me to start doing that, that was a hard time for me and I have tried with some success to black tht period out of my mind. But, if you pull so much with tweezers, why don't you try something like freezing your tweezers in a block of ice? Because then if you really need them for something like your brows, you have them, but you won't be tempted to just grab them and go to town. I dunno. 

Ive been pulling for 12 years (more than half my lifetime!!), but I've got it (most) under control right now. I'm on medication, but I think that also has to do with my other problems. I also keep my hair short. Why doesn't your cousin try a pixie cut or something? 
I pull mostly from my head, but I also pull a lot from my pubic region. Since I've pulled down there so much, someof the hairs have stopped growing back. That isn't a problem right now, but if I ever have a serious boyfriend, I don't know what I'll do. 








_

 
I pretty much keep the area bald, when it grows back then I start with the tweezing, men don't really pay too much attention to that area. If they are getting some they are pretty happy, not too much conversation goes on about your landscaping. 

I used to use Tendskin to get the ingrown hairs but it always tore me up, (I realized that when you tweeze you can catch the skin when pulling sometimes and it scars) I finally found Bliss ingrown remover pads and it does really help lift the hairs without scaring (and quick too, because you know I am impatient). The reason why I bring this up is because usually when you are down there with tweezers I have found that I will go after the hairs under the surface and it really changed the appearance. So I have to give my reccomendation.

I have been doing this since 18, I'm now 34. I still have episodes...


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## vocaltest (Dec 28, 2008)

i've been trich since i was about 12 (20 now). it started because my eyelashes kept falling out, and i'd start fiddling with them because they just kept falling out, then i'd start pulling them, and it all went from there. i've caused bald patches on my eyelashes, but thankfully i haven't pulled all of them out. they still keep growing which is good. i usually do it when i'm stressed or bored. i also always pick at mascara at the end of the day too which doesn't help. if i get a 'good one' as it were i sometimes run it against my lips or face. sounds weird but yeah. 
recently it moved onto picking at my split ends on my hair... i'd rip off the split ends completely in chunks. never whole strands of hair though. 

i think mine kinda began when i was little... it sounds odd but obviously all our bodies are covered in tiny hairs, and i'd pull at the little ones on my cheeks. i don't know why, i think it felt funny so i kept doing it. 

i'm not as bad as i used to be. whenever i start to pick at my eyelashes i mostly tell myself to stop, but i still fiddle with them.


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## IDontKnowMomo (Dec 30, 2008)

Trich is a disorder that seems to run in my family. Plenty of people have it, and I've had little bouts with it. I always tend to pull from around my hairline, and at the nape of my neck, so the damage isn't too obvious. Just looks like I have a lot of baby hair around my hairline and I have longer hair so the back is covered up. I also get very tempted to pull out my eyebrows very often, but, luckily, I've always been able to restain that urge because my eyebrows are very sacred to me.


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## Lily_Lyla (Dec 30, 2008)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *NutMeg* 

 
_I pull out hairs from my eyebrows and eyelashes. Every once in a while I pull out hair from my head and eat it. I also pick at the hair growing in on my legs and bikini line with tweezers... which leaves scars. I don't generally show my legs because of it.

Ick. It made me nervous just writing that._

 
I feel so much better now!
Thank-you for your honesty!


I'm 70% bald as I pull out my hair. I pull from my head, eyebrows, eyelashes, pubic hair, underarms.
I ingest the follicle and the whole hair. 
In 2006 I had to have a hair ball the size of 1 1/2 tennis balls removed from my stomach.
In 2007 I had to have a hair ball the length and width of a large full grown ma's forearm.

I've been pulling since I was 9, I'm now 17.

Even though I've had surgery and therapy it hasn't stopped the eating.
I try so hard to break the routine but to no effect.

I now wear a wig and am really frightened that I'll be left with permanent bald patches.


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## k.a.t (Dec 30, 2008)

^Wow, sorry to hear you've had to go through all that, maybe trying a different therapist might help? or haven't they ever mentioned any kind of medicine to help with the pulling? 

Good luck in finding something that helps, it must be frustrating for you..

I went through a phase of pulling out my hair at the crown area, I have no idea why I suddenly started but it felt good so I just kept doing it to the point where I was beginning to get a bald spot there..when I saw this I forced myself to stop immediately although I still found myself doing it sometimes without even realizing. Eventually I just stopped altogether (I was scared people would notice, and 2 of my friends did so I think that helped to scare me into stopping) and the hair grew back, though it grew back very thin 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




Now I occasionally find myself pulling out my eye-lashes, specially when I wear mascara, I just get this urge to first 'pull' off all the mascara (which means eyelashes come off too) and then I pick at any loose ones until they fall out. I can stop myself most of the time but I have noticed that my eyelashes are nowhere near as full as they used to be due to the pulling..

Like NutMeg mentioned I also find myself tweezing out in-growing hairs on my legs which leaves scars and can hurt 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I do this with my arm hair too.. 

Let us know how it goes with your cousin, good luck!


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## ghostsinsnow (Jan 3, 2009)

Wow.. I'm shocked so many people on the site have trich. I've had it since I was around 8, over half my life now. It's been a huge problem for me. I've gotten teased to the point that I started homeschooling. I stopped for over a year once, but since it takes so long for the hair to grow back(especially after it's been constantly removed), I got teased during that time and it led me to continue the habit again. It definitely affects me greater during stressful situations. I had gotten my hair to a really good point, but once my long term boyfriend and I broke up for awhile, I was so stressed that it became out of control. I've worn extensions in my hair for the last two years and it does help, but is a crutch at the same time. It makes it more difficult for me to pull my hair out, but also if I do pull it out I have the extensions to cover it up. It's a very sensitive subject for me, however I've luckily been able to talk to my close friends, family, and boyfriend about it and they all understand.

As far as your cousin goes, depending on where the spots are/how large they are, she could get some extensions from Sally's to cover them up. The one's I use are about $12.00 a pack and you can glue them in or glue on clips to make them clip ins. One thing that helped me stop a few years ago was whenever I felt the urge to pull, put my hand to my head, or pull I wore a rubber band on my wrist and would snap it if I did any of those things. It kind of makes you snap back into the reality and give your brain the message that it's wrong to do. However, I do relate with the others who said they do it without realizing it, it happens to me as well=/.

Good luck with your cousin, I really feel for her and hope she can overcome the disorder.


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## caffn8me (Jan 3, 2009)

Trichotillomania is a condition I wouldn't wish on anyone.  It's poorly understood by many in the medical profession (some won't even have heard of it) and there is no "cure" but there _are_ lots of treatment options.

I have just come across a good UK site which has lots of information and discusses different treatment options.  Have a look at Trichotillomania UK which has some interesting suggestions for self help.

I don't have trich myself although I _do_ know what it's like to have a long term condition which seems to defy treatment.  I've been suffering from moderate to severe depression for several years and nothing so far has worked but I haven't given up hope that one day I will be able to put it behind me.

I do find myself more interested in plucking my eyebrows when I am less depressed and am quite obsessive about it.  If I can feel a hair growing out of the area I want I simply cannot wait to get in front of a mirror and pluck it.  If I don't have a mirror or tweezers I can usually do it with my fingernails.  Right now my eyebrows are a real mess (which means the depression is bad).

I can certainly understand the irresistable urge to pluck or pull hair out though.  I'd just like to offer my support and encouragement to anyone who suffers from this often misunderstood condition.  

Good luck!


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## MsChrys79 (Jan 4, 2009)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *NutMeg* 

 
_I pull out hairs from my eyebrows and eyelashes. Every once in a while I pull out hair from my head and eat it. I also pick at the hair growing in on my legs and bikini line with tweezers... which leaves scars. I don't generally show my legs because of it.

Ick. It made me nervous just writing that._

 
I saw a story once on the news about a girl in India who ate so much hair she had to have a mass removed and I read one about an american girl who ate her hair and died......something to ponder. your hair contains bacteria not a healthy thing to ingest....I hope this is something you will eventually ovecome. (absolutely no sarcasim just sincerity)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/425609.stm

http://www.hindu.com/2007/03/24/stor...2403060200.htm


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## NutMeg (Jan 4, 2009)

To clarify, pulling the hair from my head is not something I do often, and eating it happens even less often. I don't think it's a huge problem at this point. What is a huge problem is the scarring on my legs and bikini line. I used to love showing my legs, and for the past few years I just haven't wanted to. I see the hair underneath the skin and HAVE to get it out. My opinion is that it's a combination of getting ingrown hairs, of having damaged folicles from doing this so much which "stand out" to me, and having tweezers easily available. 

I have tried "hiding" the tweezers (although obviously I still know where they are), thinking that if I don't see them a lot I won't be tempted. It doesn't work. I don't want to out-right get rid of them because my eyebrows grow so fast that I need to pluck them every other day or so to keep them looking groomed. I have very intense eyebrows, and I just could not handle them being grown out. 

I have a long term boyfriend who sees me naked on a fairly regular basis. I know he notices the scars, although he's only brought it up once. I passed it off as ingrown hairs, but I don't think he really bought it. 

I have never associated myself with trich until I read this thread. Reading it makes me feel like crying. Reading some of the links about trich is like a light going on.


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## nunu (Jan 4, 2009)

I've been trying to stop pulling my hair out but lately i've been pulling it out like there's no tomorrow, i'm surprised i even have hair left


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## Holy Rapture (Jan 5, 2009)

Guys, I don't have trich myself, but when I read this, I realized how pained you all might feel at times 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Somebody here had suggested the use of hair extensions. I read an article somewhere yesterday that Hair extensions lead to baldness! The sticking of glue or clips to the natural hair causes follicle damage which in turn, leads to baldness. I remembered this thread all of a sudden and thought should share. I'm really not sure it helps 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




Please take care y'all ... I hope it all gets better for all of you ...


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## caffn8me (Jan 5, 2009)

There are hair additions which are safer for trichotillomania than extensions - see Lucinda Ellery.  Of course, any hair additions system will fall apart if its hairs are pulled in the same way as natural hairs.


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## nunu (Jan 5, 2009)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *Holy Rapture* 

 
_Guys, I don't have trich myself, but when I read this, I realized how pained you all might feel at times 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Somebody here had suggested the use of hair extensions. I read an article somewhere yesterday that Hair extensions lead to baldness! The sticking of glue or clips to the natural hair causes follicle damage which in turn, leads to baldness. I remembered this thread all of a sudden and thought should share. I'm really not sure it helps 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




Please take care y'all ... I hope it all gets better for all of you ..._

 
No wonder my hair started falling out (and still is) when i had clip on hair extensions last year


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## Holy Rapture (Jan 13, 2009)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *nunu* 

 
_No wonder my hair started falling out (and still is) when i had clip on hair extensions last year 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 
Oh, Nora what did your doc say about that ?


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## loveisdisco (Feb 16, 2009)

I was started when i was 7 or so when my mom noticed I had a huge bald spot on the back/side of my head. I told her what was going on and she also noticed I had almost no eyelashes. I went to a doctor and got a referral to a therapist but I never did end up going, not sure why. 

Fast forward until I was 16 and I had no eyelashes or eyebrows, not a lot of hair in most spots (I covered this with a lot of backcombing) I also had huge wounds on my legs where I would pink at "hairs" that were below the skin, and bald patches on my arms and bikini area as I would pick at those as well. At this point I was being taken to a psychiatrist as I also only weighed 83 pounds and was having terrible panic attacks. I could only go to school and home without having a total meltdown. I was treated for anxiety and depression until I was 20. I probably should still be but its really hard to feel like a person when you are that heavily medicated, and I no longer have panic attacks.

I do still pull out my hair on my head but usually only a few times a day. I don't have any bald spots or anything anymore, just really sparse lashes and brows. I do still pick a lot at areas that aren't so visible to the public as well.

I really slowed down a lot when I was medicated (and after) but it was probably only because I was so stoned all the time that I couldn't really manage to do anything. I slept a lot.


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## KarlaKayM (Mar 31, 2009)

My husband has this disorder...he never kew what it was called until I told him.....he seemed very uninterested to kow that lots of people suffer from this~

He pulls all of his wiskers out with a tweezers ALL the time.....it is AMAZIG to me just how much time he spends grooming....he does this in other areas of his body but mostly just shaves the other areas or shaves them down.....he always say that he tweezes his facial hair so he doesn't have to shave but I know that isn't true.....he also say he likes the pain (I am confused about that) Is that common?

I can't tell you how many tweezers he has gone through in his lifetime and then they get lost.....now he is using mine which I get mad about because verytime I need to tweeze my brows they are never on my vanity. He gets really mad if I hide them and wo't give them to him......(confused about this too) He doesn't like to talke about this at all.....he does seem to do it more when he's stressed but also does it when he doesn't even know he's doing it~

I am glad to know others who are suffering with this~


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## nunu (Jul 25, 2009)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *Holy Rapture* 

 
_Oh, Nora what did your doc say about that ? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


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I didn't see anyone about it. I'm still struggling though. 
I do it more often when my hair is blow dried and when i am stressed out.
Sorry for the late reply, i just came back to this thread.


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## alankrita singh (Dec 25, 2011)

hey i am alan from india ......hmmmm i can feel what she feels because m one of the sufferers...it is very painful for the person who is tricho becoz others consider people like us as a source of entertainment people laugh at me and i am unable to prevent them from doing so...i pluck my eyebrows and lashes ..many have noticed and made fun of me even my close ones ...... i want u to reply on my mail..coz i cant share it with anyone except someone of the ame category.. i am in twelth class about to complete it m scared what will i do in this unknown world.. i tried my best so many times to stop my hands from plucking for a month or few i was successful but of no use ...welll stay away from lonely places becoz there you may be more prone to plucking your scalp's hair  and be social ..before all pray to God for giving u the power to overcome your desires,..do meditation and get into a bit of counselling                                                                                        do reply....


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