No. 96; April 2009
Click here to download and print a PDF version of this document.
People with trichotillomania pull hair on various parts of their bodies, including the scalp, face, arms, legs and pubic areas. They may not notice the hair pulling until they need to cover up bald patches with hair clips, a hat, wig or scarf. People with trichotillomania are not able stop pulling their hair.
As many as 1 person in 100 has the following signs and symptoms of trichotillomania:
- recurrent hair pulling resulting in noticeable hair loss, unrelated to baldness or alopecia
- pleasure, excitement, or relief when pulling out hair
- embarrassment or shame resulting from hair loss
- problems at home, school or work
The cause of trichotillomania is not known. For some children, trichotillomania becomes damaging and very difficult to control. Hair pulling can occur anytime but may become worse in stressful situations.
Most children with trichotillomania feel shame, embarrassment or guilt about their hair loss. Younger children may not notice or be bothered by hair loss. Older children and adolescents may be teased, have low self esteem, anxiety or depression.
Parents can become frustrated, as it is very difficult to understand that children with trichotillomania can’t simply stop pulling their hair. Neither parents nor children are to blame for the hair pulling behavior. Punishing children for pulling hair is unlikely to decrease the behavior and can lead to problems with self-esteem. In order to avoid punishment or embarrassment, children try to hide or deny they are pulling their hair.
Frequently used treatments for trichotillomania include:
- cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a specialized form of behavior therapy. It involves helping a child recognize thoughts, feelings and behaviors associated with hair pulling. The goal of this therapy is to increase the awareness of hair pulling and replace it with alternative behaviors
- medication therapy is also used to decrease the anxiety, depression and obsessive compulsive symptoms that accompany trichotillomania
Family therapies and support groups are also available. Children with trichotillomania should be evaluated by a trained and qualified mental health professional. Treatment is most effective when it is comprehensive and individualized to the needs of the child and family.
See Trichotillomania Organization Web site, www.Trich.org.
For additional information, see Facts for Families:
#21 Psychiatric Medication for Children
#24 When to Seek Help for Your Child
#47 The Anxious Child
#60 OCD
#66 Helping Teenagers With Stress
#86 Psychotherapies for Children and Adolescents
See also: Your Child (1998 Harper Collins) / Your Adolescent (1999 Harper Collins)
Click here to order Your Child from Harper Collins
Click here to order Your Adolescent from Harper Collins
If you find Facts for Families© helpful and would like to make good mental health a reality for all children, please consider donating to the Campaign for America's Kids. Your support will help us continue to produce and distribute Facts for Families, as well as other vital mental health information, free of charge.
You may also mail in your contribution. Please make checks payable to the AACAP and send to Campaign for America's Kids, P.O. Box 96106, Washington, DC 20090.
The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) represents over 7,500 child and adolescent psychiatrists who are physicians with at least five years of additional training beyond medical school in general (adult) and child and adolescent psychiatry.
Facts for Families© information sheets are developed, owned and distributed by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) and are supported by a grant from the Klingenstein Third Generation Foundation. Hard copies of Facts sheets may be reproduced for personal or educational use without written permission, but cannot be included in material presented for sale or profit. All Facts can be viewed and printed from the AACAP website (www.aacap.org). Facts sheets many not be reproduced, duplicated or posted on any other Internet website without written consent from AACAP. Organizations are permitted to create links to AACAP's website and specific Facts sheets. To purchase complete sets of Facts for Families, please contact the AACAP's Development and Communications Assistant at 800.333.7636, ext. 140.
The information on this website is provided for general reference purposes. It does not constitute medical or other professional advice and should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your child and adolescent psychiatrist or other physician. Only a qualified, licensed physician can determine the individual treatment that is appropriate for your particular circumstances. All decisions about clinical care should be made in consultation with a physician.
If you need immediate assistance, please dial 911.
