Trichotillomania-Psyched to the hair

Trichotillomania is actually an irresistible desire to tug out hair from the scalp, eyebrows or any other areas of the body. Hair tugging from the scalp usually results in patchy bald areas, which people with trichotillomania might go to great lengths to hide. For many people, trichotillomania can be mild and usually controllable. For others, the desire to pull hair is tremendous and can be coupled with considerable distress. Some treatment methods have helped lots of people reduce their hair tugging or stop completely.

Many people with trichotillomania tug hair in secret and generally try to conceal the disorder from others. For a few people, hair pulling is deliberate and focused. Indications of trichotillomania often include:

· Repeatedly tugging the hair out, usually from your scalp, eye brows or eyelashes, however it can be from other entire body areas as well

· A powerful urge to pull locks, followed by feelings associated with relief after the locks are pulled

· Patchy hairless areas on the head or other areas of the body

· Eyelashes or eye brows not uniform

· Chewing the pulled out hair

· Playing with pulled-out hair like rubbing the hair on your lips or even face

The main cause of trichotillomania is not clear. But like numerous complex disorders, trichotillomania most likely results from a combination of hereditary and environmental elements. Also, abnormalities within the natural brain chemical substances serotonin and dopamine are likely involved in trichotillomania. From the above given causes, those at risk can be identified. Genealogy, adolescence, gender (usually females), negative emotions and certain disorders are more at risk.

As there is no physical cause of trichotillomania, it has to be treated using psychotherapy. It employs a habit reversal strategy where the patient is told about his or her disease and gradually made to change their habit.