Abstract

TRICHOTILLOMANIA: A HAIR PULLING DISORDER

Sangita Bhandare*, Kiran Kotade, Dr. Sanjay Bhavar, Charushila Bhangale, Dr. Vijay Wagh

ABSTRACT

Trichotillomania is a psychiatric condition in which an individual has an uncontrollable desire to pull out his own body hair. Common areas for hair to be pulled out are the scalp, eyelashes, eyebrows, legs, arms, hands, nose and the pubic areas. It is generally considered to be an impulse control disorder but is sometimes classified as subtype of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It is characterized by the compulsive urge to pull out one's hair, leading to hair loss and balding, distress, and social or functional impairment. It is mental and behavioural disorders, and is often chronic and difficult to treat. Research indicates that about 2 in 50 people experience trichotillomania in their lifetime. It usually begins in late childhood/early puberty. In childhood it occurs about equally in boys and girls. By adulthood, 80-90% of reported cases are women. Hair pulling varies greatly in its severity, location on the body, and response to treatment. Without treatment, trichotillomania tends to be a chronic condition, that may come and go throughout a lifetime. There is no clear cause of trichotillomania, but there are psychoanalytical, behavioral, or biological theories for this disorder. Some of the more commonly accepted theories for trichotillomania are: childhood trauma, stressful events, neurochemical imbalance. Hence this review article provides the comprehensive information on the trichotillomania in terms of epidemiology Introduction, etiology, diagnostic criteria, prognosis, and various pharmacological treatments of trichotillomania.

Keywords: Trichotillomania, Hair pulling disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder.