Hair pulling but Eyebrows

[PinotNoir1]

I've hesitated whether to post this as anyone I've spoken to in real life have never heard of this before.

I'm an anxious person and have developed a habit where I rub my eyebrows or run my fingernail across them so my nail catches the hair and inevitably the hairs are coming out. I can't seem to stop and don't even know I'm doing it. The most embarrassing part is I've got a big red mark that's scabbing where the bald patch is now so it's really obvious. The other embarrassing part is it hurts sometimes but I keep doing it. Other times it feels good but I can't explain why.

So it's not actually hair pulling like pulling out hair or eyelashes but I feel so alone in this and no idea why I do this.

Body focused repetitive behaviour its a type of OCD. Apparently cognitive therapy can be helpful but my son has had it in the form of trichotillomania (hair pulling) for years. Make an appointment with your GP and see if they can come up with anything helpful.

In the mean time if there is a particular time you notice yourself doing it (for instance my son does it while watching TV or travelling in the car) you could do something like put plasters on your finger tips to prevent you getting the sensation.

I've done this with my eyelashes since I was 9. It's trichotillomania. What you're doing sounds like another form of it. I had a stressful childhood with a mentally ill mum who bullied and hit me so it may be linked to that. Not sure what to suggest as I haven't managed to conquer it and am in my 50s

I pull my eyebrows out and a small patch on my scalp, I have been doing it for many years and can't stop. Luckily it doesn't seem to get worse and I've just come to terms with it now! Like you it's almost an unconscious thing and sometimes it feels good and sometimes it hurts. I've had scabby eyebrows too.

I can't offer any advice because I stopped trying to do anything about it tbh. I've had my eyebrows microbladed which has mostly disguised the problem.

It's called trichotrillomania and can be treated with CBT I think but I'm not sure what the success rate it. It can be related to OCD I believe and anxiety.

OP I do this along with finger picking. I was told I had GAD with suspected OCD and put on sertraline.
I was too afraid to tell anyone so had my eyebrows nano bladed to mask the fact my right one is nearly bald.

Go to your GP.

Hello op.

That's a form of trictilliomania (sp) it's a repetitive behavior..I have a form of it too and it's more common than you think, especially in people who tend to suffer from anxiety ( me too). I don't know if I can help you stop this but just toot you know that you are not alone. There have been a lot of posts on here about similar things. Mine is a sensory thing, a source of comfort and it got very bad after covid in 2021. You can get help/ therapy if you need to and I'm sure someone will come along here soon with some handy links or advise.

My DD was diagnosed with trichotilomania and hers was eyelashes and other hairs.

She saw a brilliant clinical psychologist for about 10 sessions who has helped her through CBT identify triggers (anxiety) and gave her practical strategies to deal with those before she reverts to pulling.

It's not 100% but she is so much better and happier that she now doesn't have to worry that others will look at her face and missing eyelashes and think she's weird (which was where her mind had gone)

Good luck with it and hope you can find the right person to help you too

I have this, it's a bastard to stop doing as you often don't realise you're doing it!

Thank you everyone. It means a lot knowing I'm not the only one going through this.

I definitely don't realise I'm doing it. It's an compulsive thing as you all say. I'll look at making an appointment at the GP firstly. I also feel like it's a comfort thing then my mind gets confused as when it starts hurting I still do it.

I had a skin picking and nail biting habit which is along the same vein of body repetitive behavior.
Doing the same action over and over again creates a strong neural pathway and habit.
Referred for CBT with taking therapies and it's 95% better. There are also lots of books on Amazon about it you can read.
I also got one of this fidget rings to give my hand something else to do.