psychiatric disorders
Trichotillomania
Key Points
In trichotillomania, hair pulling is not triggered by obsessions or concerns about appearance but may be preceded by a feeling of tension or anxiety that is relieved by the hair pulling, often followed by a feeling of gratification. Patterns of hair loss vary from areas of thinned hair to missing eyelashes and/or eyebrows to areas of complete alopecia. Patients with trichotillomania try to stop pulling their hair out or to do it less often, but they cannot. Treat using cognitive-behavioral therapy that is tailored to treat specific trichotillomania symptoms (specifically habit reversal training) and possibly an SSRI orclomipramine,N-acetylcysteine, ormemantine. 