Trichotillomania (Hair Pulling)

[Begborrowsteal]

I dont pull, but ive been picking at my head so much dry patches, pick at it, scabs and i pick that. My scalp is so sore from it

 

[Mr Sparkle]

Little victory!

 

[Mr Sparkle]

Thought I would make a thread in case others wish to discuss their thoughts and experiences on hair-pulling disorders aka trichotillomania.

 

[Mr Sparkle]

Re feeling self conscious

Someone said to me once that we notice other people's smiles, and facial expressions, and glittering eyes when they talk to us. And that's what I try to remember on days where I am self-conscious about my eyes, or bald spots/hairline. It helps sometimes

 

[southcoaster]

Radio 4 had a feature about Trich, women’s hour, 7th July. I found it on BBC sounds Women’s hour from 26.20. It is a very balanced interview with a neuroscientist who also has Trich.

 

[threeSMEGfridges]

When you’re trying to grow out you weird trich -induced mullet (I pull at the crown mainly) and you manage to get 2 Dutch braids (crappy ones but theyre there!) in

 

[Okgolightly]

I’m so glad I found this thread. I’ve pulled my eyelashes since I was ten; it turned into a family joke at my expense and I never got help for it. Whenever I’ve mentioned it to doctors it’s been brushed off as just anxiety. At the minute I have an eye that has barely any lashes on because I’ve pulled them all off. It’s like I can’t stop because I feel like I’m in physical discomfort with my lashes until I get them out. And then it’s a bit of an ocd thing because I can’t have a blonde eyelash in with my dark ones or just a random one on it’s own. Sorry for the over sharing just this is the first time I’ve been able to share this!

 

[GiftedNotFree]

Re feeling self conscious

Someone said to me once that we notice other people's smiles, and facial expressions, and glittering eyes when they talk to us. And that's what I try to remember on days where I am self-conscious about my eyes, or bald spots/hairline. It helps sometimes

I love this. It really does help. I’ve avoided a lot of social situations in my life because of my hair; even as far as being too self conscious to apply for jobs etc. it really can be debilitating.

 

[Tabitha]

So glad this thread exists. As a child, I used to like pulling feathers out of pillows. Then started pulling out my hair (feel its related but maybe not). I’ll run my hands through and find a hair that feels a little different, whether it’s a different length or texture, and pull it out. Does anyone else do it like this?

I used to do my body hair a lot too, especially around my hoo-haa, but now I’ve had laser hair removal so I can’t anymore, win/win

During Covid, I was pulling every day. I definitely pull more during times of anxiety. I noticed I do it a lot during meetings (esp my eyelashes). Even if it’s just running my hands through to pull later, so Ihave to make myself stop because of how unprofessional it looks

 

[Begborrowsteal]

Same and my hair isn't very thick to hide it.Have you found anything that helps? I find if I really take my time using a lovely shampoo and conditioner in the shower and rubs at the bits I usually pick, it helps. It helps it heal up a bit and so I can usually resist the urge better that day. But it's pretty short lived!

My hair is thick, but issues with thyroid/iron mean my hair has been falling out loads and thinning so some of the areas are a bit more noticable. The hair loss upsets me to the point i hate washing it as i see how much comes out

 

[Babyyoda88]

I dont pull, but ive been picking at my head so much dry patches, pick at it, scabs and i pick that. My scalp is so sore from it

Oh my goodness me too. I keep making it worse and I swear I won’t do it again but the next day I’m picking at the dry patches again.

 

[esoes]

I dont pull, but ive been picking at my head so much dry patches, pick at it, scabs and i pick that. My scalp is so sore from it

I do the same and I can't stop and I always think it must look awful if anyone sees me doing it.

I also pull my eyelashes and eyebrows when stressed so now have a bald patch on one eyebrow which looks daft. I've really, really worked on resisting the urge and so the longer hairs kinda cover the patch. But I can't stop with the head picking.

Thought I would make a thread in case others wish to discuss their thoughts and experiences on hair-pulling disorders aka trichotillomania.

Thanks for starting the thread I've never really talked about it so it's good to have the thread a s a safe space.

 

[Mr Sparkle]

its one minute of relief for months of hair growth. So frustrating

Yesss this is it! What makes it such a frustrating disorder. We can spend days/weeks working really hard to repair the damage and regrow, only to have it all ruined in one sitting.

Things I'm finding helpful as the years go by:

- Reminding myself it'll grow back, in order to not ruin my mood for the rest of the day or "resign" myself to more pulling

- Eyebrow tattoos lol, I spent years freehanding eyebrows and my teenage photos are mortifying!

- Saying "NO" out loud to myself when I manage to put my hand down before pulling. Working from home helps in that sense haha! I don't know why it helps but sometimes it does break that "spell" trance like state

- Building my confidence. Which would be weird for my friends/family to hear as I'm a naturally confident person. But I've always found it hard to flirt with people as I'm self conscious that they'll notice I have no brows/lashes under my makeup

I’ve been having lash extensions which I pull out, I was having weekly infills. Anyway this week I’ve had to cancel my appointment, I’ve pulled that much I’ve hardly any lashes left to attach an eyelash to. Hoping they’ll grow back as at the moment i resemble a boiled egg

I look like a thumb when I wake up in the morning

 

[Rocknrolla]

Yesss this is it! What makes it such a frustrating disorder. We can spend days/weeks working really hard to repair the damage and regrow, only to have it all ruined in one sitting.

Things I'm finding helpful as the years go by:

- Reminding myself it'll grow back, in order to not ruin my mood for the rest of the day or "resign" myself to more pulling

- Eyebrow tattoos lol, I spent years freehanding eyebrows and my teenage photos are mortifying!

- Saying "NO" loudly to myself when I manage to put my hand down before pulling. Working from home helps in that sense haha!

- Building my confidence. Which would be weird for my friends/family to hear as I'm a naturally confident person. But I've always found it hard to flirt with people as I'm self conscious that they'll notice I have no brows/lashes under my makeup



I look like a thumb when I wake up in the morning

Aw it’s awful isn’t it? Each time I tell myself ‘no you’ve just paid a lot of money for these lashes’ it lasts about 3/4 days then I am picking and pulling again I was the same when I wore hair extensions, picking and pulling them out causing damage and patches. I am a hairdresser so I really should know better.

 

[account70032]

Hey! I'd be glad if this thread became active again.

I got my eyebrows tattooed a few years ago because I was drawing them on from nothing every morning, and every day they looked a weird shape and I was sick of doing it. The eyebrow lady I went to actually had trichotillomania herself, and was so nice to talk to and spent ages mapping out where my brows would be and made them a great shape that really suits me. I absolutely love them and have been back to get them topped up every year for 3 years now! It's so nice not to have to wake up bald-faced every morning. I highly recommend - and if you're anywhere in the south west, I would recommend my brow lady as she's so nice and appreciates how sensitive it is for us with no brows!

Thank you so much I really appreciate you replying to this thread! it’s reassuring to know there’s other people who struggle with this including the eyebrow lady you went to that sounds a very good experience for you to have someone who understood. I love that she took her time mapping them out for you and you were happy with the results. It is something I am considering but I’ve always got nervous about going through with it but I think if it’s anything like your experience it would make it a lot easier. I would be grateful for the brow lady you recommend someone who wouldn’t judge and is nice cause I’ve been so used to being stared at or judged for how I look that I think that’s part of the reason I never got micro blading before but I know once I get it done it’ll help me feel better about myself.

 

[Pink blancmange]

My mum pulled her eyelashes and eyebrows. She did try eyelash extensions once thinking it would put her off pulling but it didn't.

The only thing that I've found that helps me is having acrylic nails so that I can't grip the lashes but I can't afford to keep getting them done. By the time they start coming off, my lashes have got a good growth then I end up pulling them all out again .
I also tried out strip lashes recently, they were fairly natural looking ones but loads of people commented on them, nothing bad but it just made me conscious that they had noticed a difference so I stopped with them too.

During Covid, I was pulling every day. I definitely pull more during times of anxiety. I noticed I do it a lot during meetings (esp my eyelashes). Even if it’s just running my hands through to pull later, so Ihave to make myself stop because of how unprofessional it looks

Mine is anxiety related too. When I'm stressed it gets so much worse!

 

[What's your point]

I pull my eyebrows/eyelashes, I try not to pull my eyelashes so much but terrible with my eyebrows! Makes me so self conscious.

I also have a patch of skin just under my jawline that I cannot leave alone, forever scratching and picking at it.

 

[Alexaj]

I’ll run my hands through and find a hair that feels a little different, whether it’s a different length or texture, and pull it out. Does anyone else do it like this?

Yes! It's either a split end or a hair that feels a lot thicker than the rest. It's not stress related though. Boredom related which flies in the face of everything I've read about trichotillomania (my mum's is stress related though).

 

[account70032]

I just noticed this thread. I've pulled at my eyebrows for years. Idk why. I don't pull them until they're bald though. I can see from this thread it's a definite problem for some people though

Honestly I’m grateful I found this thread cause I don’t know anyone personally who has trich so to know I’m not the only who struggles with it helps. I know for me even after pulling my eyebrows hair out and I would feel sad about how I looked I still have never been able to stop doing it completely. It’s something I wish was more spoken about.

 

[SpindleWhorl]

I had this as a teen and I got badly bullied at school due to my bald patches which shocked me so much I haven't done it since