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Hair Pulling Disorder

Trichotillomania Diagnosis & Treatment at Simone Thomas Hair Loss Clinic in Bournemouth 

Trichotillomania 1Trichotillomania is a condition where a person feels compelled to pull their hair out of their head, eyelashes or eyebrows. If you struggle with this feeling, we are here to offer help and advice.

The team at Simone Thomas trichology clinic in Westbourne is experienced in trichotillomania and can discuss your trichotillomania treatment options with you.

Book your trichotillomania treatment appointment by calling our Bournemouth clinic on 01202 760003.

Alternatively, please click the link below to request a call back and we will be in touch.

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What is Trichotillomania?

Trichotillomania is an impulse-control hair pulling disorder. Impulse-control disorders are more common amongst teenagers and young adults, affecting girls more than boys. This disorder can often lead to bald patches and hair loss due to repeatedly pulling hair on the head.

What Causes Trichotillomania?

It’s not known what causes trichotillomania, but there are several theories. Some experts think hair pulling is a type of addiction. The more you pull your hair out, the more you want to keep doing it. Trichotillomania may be a coping mechanism for a mental health problem such as relieving stress or anxiety. In some cases, it may be a form of self harm, where the person deliberately injures themselves as a way of seeking temporary relief from emotional distress.

It is more common in women than men and mainly occurs around puberty and often at menopause. In some cases, it’s unintentional and you may not realise you are doing it. However, often there are underlying causes – from anxiety and as a means to cope with stress, to depression, a cry for help and a traumatic experience. This can be especially true with regards to children and young persons.

The act of pulling out a hair can also initially feel quite satisfying, so you keep doing it, not realising the damage you’re causing, and once you do it’s hard to stop.

Whatever the reason may be behind your hair pulling, at Simone Thomas hair loss clinic, we're here to lend a sympathetic ear and provide you with some insight and advice.

Hair Pulling Disorder Diagnosis

Trichotillomania is frequently misdiagnosed as alopecia areata – another hair loss that occurs in patches. There are two reasons for this.

Firstly, both conditions look similar to the untrained eye, and secondly, people are often ashamed and fearful to tell their doctor that they’re pulling out their own hair. This is also an issue in diagnosing children and young teenagers with trichotillomania, who might be pulling their hair out in secret without their parents’ knowledge.

There is, nevertheless, a predominant diagnostic feature of trichotillomania – uneven hair breakage. When you pull your hair out, you can’t pull it all at the same angle so it snaps off, and at different lengths.

However, in alopecia hair loss, the little hairs will be roughly the same length. Also, the pattern of hair loss from trichotillomania is usually worse on the right side of the scalp if you are right-handed and vice versa. If you suspect that you, or a friend or family member, suffers from trichotillomania, or alopecia areata, please consult with an expert.

It is important that you seek medical advice from your GP, as the most effective form of treatment is therapy to help change the behaviour. In the meantime, we are here to support you and can help with your hair loss by offering a variety of trichotillomania treatments, such as wigs or hair pieces.

Book a Hair Loss Consultation at Simone Thomas Hair Loss Clinic in Dorset

If you believe you suffer from trichotillomania and want to talk to someone about it, our highly qualified and experienced team can offer advice and help with the diagnosis and treatment of your hair loss.  Call Simone Thomas Trichology Clinic on the number at the bottom of the page or alternatively you can book online or request a consultation by completing the form below.

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