Tearing your hair out? - Health Tips

Tearing your hair out?:

...Literally, we mean. Called Trichotillomania, it's a condition in which stress and anxiety make you pull your hair out

The habit of pulling one's hair, and sometimes even chewing it to relieve stress and anxiety may seem bizarre, but many people actually do it. Called Trichotillomania, this disorder is more common than we think it is. Here are some examples...

Case 1: Rachna Pujari (name changed), 21, would get anxious before her exams and repeatedly pull her hair out, knowingly and unknowingly. She would usually pull the hair in the forehead region, which led to a visible bald spot.

Case 2: Madhav Mehta (name changed), a 12-year-old, would often pull his hair out and even chew it, if nobody's watching. He would stick to one particular patch and when that goes bald, move on to another.

Case 3: 27-year-old Naina Shivkumar (name changed), a happily married professional, had been suffering from this disorder from an early age, but she was unable to understand the cause. She finally sought counselling and during therapy, Naina revealed that she was sexually abused as a child. She also had an alcoholic father and other domestic problems. The disorder was triggered by the trauma that she underwent.

What is it?
"Trichotillomania is the uncontrollable urge to pluck or twist hair from the scalp, eyebrow or other body areas. Such behaviour can lead to bald spots that individuals may go to great lengths to cover up or disguise. It is considered a disorder as the urge to pull out hair is accompanied by considerable distress," explains psychiatrist and psychotherapist Dr Anjali Chhabria.

Symptoms

Psychologist Mansi Hasan lists the symptoms:

-Recurrent pulling resulting in noticeable hair loss (typically from the scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes or other parts of the body).
-Increased tension before pulling out the hair or when attempting to resist the urge to do so.
-Pleasure, gratification or relief when pulling out the hair.

Not uncommon
The disorder is more or less equally present in males and young girls. However, in adults, women are more susceptible to it than males. Dermatologist Dr Satish Wadhwa says he has encountered Trichotillomania more among children; boys and girls in the age group of seven to 12- and to some extent, among young adults who are 20-25 years old.

Hair plucking is common in places like eyebrows, scalp and eyelashes. In rare cases, even underarms and the pubic area are targeted. Dr Wadhwa prescribes a soothing cream and directs the parents to take the children to a counsellor because, the underlying reason is always psychological and stress-related.

Causes
Though there is no specific cause, high stress can trigger it. "Hair pulling becomes a way of gratification- it helps some people handle negative emotions such as sadness, loneliness, anxiety and frustration. Emotional, physical or environmental stress can be responsible. Chemical imbalance of the neurotransmitters in the brain- Dopamine and Serotonin- are also contributing factors. In some cases, it can even be hereditary," explains Hasan.

Treatment
The first step in the management of this condition is educating oneself about it. A combination of various methods is used to treat Trichotillomania. Cognitive behavioural techniques like self-monitoring and substituting the urge to pull hair with another response are effective. The person is made aware of what triggers the urge and how to control it. Social support is also an important aspect of treatment. Medication should be used in conjunction with psychotherapy, says Dr Chhabria.

Olivia Munn
Hollywood actress Olivia Munn recently admitted to often ripping out her eyelashes. "I don't bite my nails, I rip my eyelashes," the 32-year-old said, adding, "It doesn't hurt, but it's annoying. Every time I step out of the house, I have to stop and pick up a whole set of fake eyelashes."

Sam Faiers
British actress Sam Faiers also confessed to the same habit. "False eyelashes are important for me, because I suffer from Trichotillomania. I know that sounds weird," the 21-year-old was quoted as saying.

Other celebrities rumoured to suffer from Trichotillomania are Naomi Campbell, Kate Beckinsale, Victoria Beckham and Fergie.

Interesting facts

-Trichotillomania is commonly known as 'trich'. Those suffering from the condition are called 'trichsters'.
-There is a documentary film, titled Trichster, which follows the lives of patients with the aim of spreading awareness about the condition.
-A National 'No Pulling Week' campaign was started in the UK, by hair-loss expert Lucinda Ellery, in September last year.