Trichotillomania: True Or False

By Author: Naomi Mannino
Total Articles: 89
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Test Your Knowledge of Trichotillomania, Or "Trich"

The more you know about trichotillomania, the more you can help yourself or someone you know who is pulling out his or her hair -- literally.

This disorder, trichotillomania, is pronounced trik'oh-till'oh-may'nee-ah and is sometimes called "trich" or TTM for short. People with this disorder, for no known reason, pull out their own hair, often to the point of hair loss. But a little understanding goes a long way. Test your knowledge and understanding of trich with these 10 true-or-false questions.

1. Trichotillomania patients pull out hair only from their head.

False. Those suffering from trichotillomania can feel compelled to pull out hairs from anywhere on the body including their head; face, such as eyebrows, eyelashes or beards; pubic region or anywhere else.

2. Skin picking is a similar condition to trich.

True. Hair pulling and skin picking are related, body-focused, repetitive behaviors.

3. You can tell people who have trichotillomania ...
... by their bald patches.

False. Although bald patches and stubbly regrowth are usually telltale symptoms of TTM, some cases are mild or hair pullers are secretive and don't pull to the point of noticeable hair loss or infection. In some skin-picking cases, scarring, scabbing and picking are evident, while in others they're not so noticeable.

4. The stubbly hair regrowth is a good sign.

True. This regrowth means that the hair follicles have not yet been permanently damaged by the repetitive pulling.

5. Hair pulling and skin picking are just habits that can be easily stopped.

False. While you might wish the person could just stop, the compulsion is stronger than a habit and differs in severity and treatment results among hair pullers. For some people, willpower and self-awareness help to control the urge to pull or pick, but for others the urge is much stronger or unavoidable.

6. Trichotillomania does not occur in happy, well-adjusted people.

False. According to experts, hair pulling and skin picking can occur in happy, well-adjusted people as often as they occur in those suffering anxiety, stress or trauma. Hair pulling alone is not evidence of emotional disturbance or abuse, but it does not exclude these problems either. Depression is very common in people with TTM; therefore, treatment should include depression screening by the doctor to see if appropriate antidepressants can calm the compulsion.

7. Trich does not occur in small children.

True. First onset of trich is usually at around 12 years old, although a parent may not notice it until much later because of the secretive nature of the disorder. Once the disorder progresses beyond bald spots, a dermatologist is a good first step to help diagnose it and provide further referrals.

8. Antidepressants can cure trich symptoms.

False. No one treatment has been found effective for everyone because we don't know what causes the behavior in those afflicted by it. We can't currently predict the course of the disease or its severity from person to person, but there is much research being done to find treatments. Currently, there is no FDA-approved medication, and many meds are used "off-label." In cases involving clinical depression, antidepressants have alleviated some of the urge to pick and pull.

9. There is nothing you can do to hide the hair loss that results from trich.

False. You probably didn't realize that sometimes covering up hair with a wig can reduce the urge to pull, simply because the hair is not accessible. If hair loss occurs in a large, noticeable area, a hair replacement specialist can help find the right hair replacement to hide the bald patches, sometimes by integrating your existing healthy hair.

10. Trichotillomania and alopecia areata are the same because they both present with bald patches.

False. Trich and alopecia areata are completely different disorders, although they both do present to the dermatologist as bald patches of missing hair. While bald patches in alopecia areata are smooth, trich patches are often irritated from the stress on the hair follicles by pulling the hairs repeatedly, and with TTM there is usually stubbly regrowth, indicating that hair will grow back. Also, alopecia areata is an autoimmune disorder (where the body's immune system attacks itself), which causes the hair loss spontaneously, while trich is considered a neurological disorder, which causes the behavior that results in the hair loss.

Understanding that hair pulling is a compulsion, not just a habit that can be corrected easily, can give you some power in treating it, and it will allow others to approach someone suffering from TTM with compassion and understanding.

Author Bio :

Naomi Mannino is a freelance writer who writes about health, beauty, and fashion. She is a contributing writer for HairLossDotCom and writes about hair loss conditions such as alopecia areata and trichotillomania.