Trichotillomania (hair pulling)

[Rachelx92]

Hey all I'm new here so not too sure if this has been posted before. Anyway I just wanted to know if anyone has personally suffered or know anyone who has suffered with hair pulling. I've been doing it for about 5 weeks now and have a bald patch on my scalp the size of a 10p coin which is embarrassing at 21! I style my hair differently now to cover it and thought the hair would grow back but it hasn't :( I'm planning to visit my gp next week to hopefully get it sorted. I've read that it's due to stress and depression and I've had a stressful few weeks due to an assault on a relative, although I started pulling my hair before this.

Oops posted send too soon. Just wanted to add that I don't actually realise I'm doing it until it stings. Its actually starting to get me down seeing other women with their perfectly covered scalps! Can any sufferers offer advice? Please don't suggest to "just stop doing it" as my sister has suggested as it's not as easy as that! Its a very addictive habit...TIA x

Hi Rachel, I suffer from this. I am extremely embarrassed by it and have never told anyone. I am sure people notice but don't say anything. Although it is only patches and some tufts bits when it grows back. I have been doing it for years prob since teens, I am nearly 30 now. It is such habit, like you say I don't realise I do it. I don't want to do it. I long to have beautiful hair. I wear my hair back most of the time and hate the hairdressers! Be brave and Go to the doctor and get help early before it gets worse. Good luck. May be one day I will pluck up the courage to do so.

I do it too. It's been raised before on mn, and actually a lot of people admitted to this or variations (pulling eyelashes, picking skin, even squeezing spots - all the same kind of compulsive behaviour :) ) so you are by no means alone.