Trichotillomania Warning Signs
Do you or someone you love pull out your hair or eyelashes? You are not alone. At my stand-alone salon, we have hundreds of clients that exhibit this behavior. The condition is Trichotillomania which is a Body-Focused Repetitive Behavior considered to be an impulse-control issue. BFRB's, such as nail-biting, has only recently been acknowledged by the medical community. We have been aware of this condition for nearly two decades. It has been our goal to educate the public regarding Trichotillomania and the various ways it presents.
We are grateful to be featured in magazines, news shows, and newspapers, sharing our expertise and client experience. It is our responsibility to share Trichotillomania's warning signs to help parents of children with Trich.
What To Look For:
Personality
1) Retreating and solitude
2) Worry and anxiety
3) Lack of interest in school and other activities
4) Recent grief or lifestyle change
5) Social changes
Outward Signs
1) Covering hair
2) Wearing hats or scarves
3) Hair strands around the house
4) Sparse eyebrows
5) Constant hair touching while in a trance state
6) Head or body scratching
To date, there is no cure for Trichotillomania. The condition is often confused with self-harm, but most explain it as a relief. The puller is seeking the perfect texture hair to pull to feel satisfied. Some of the nail biters have the same impulsive need in the ability to feel with consistency at the tip of their fingers, without the nails interfering and without manicuring assistance, the habit can go too far and make the cuticles bleed with nails too short. It is about bridging control between the impulse and satisfying the feeling which then reduces the impulse. I have had many intimate conversations with pullers, none have discussed self-harm. It is my suggestion to seek medical advice and therapy because I am not a doctor. I do strive to help, once controlled, clients lead a great life.
Hair Pulling Disorder
While our clients are working on their condition, we offer beautiful scalp prosthetics. Most wear scalp prosthetics, a.k.a. "hair topper," while working things out. Amazingly, many move past the condition and accept themselves as they are. Last week, a young client left the salon without her hair topper! Her hair had grown to its original length, and she was beyond happy. Her mother had tears of joy streaming down her face. I consider this joyful and encouraging. An experience like this drives my passion. Trichotillomania is not a death sentence, rather part of the human condition. We all cope with stress differently, and this is only one way we do so.
Please feel free to comment below on your experience since others would appreciate your advice. No need to suffer alone!
Note: Unlike Alopecia Areata, fungal infections, thinning hair, and other autoimmune diseases where balding spots or female pattern baldness where you lose hair, Trichotillomania is a disorder, and the hair loss is physically removing hair follicles. Our approach considers the full spectrum of hair loss, but our approach to Trichotillomania is unique and specific with the aim to build stronger hair and allow for hair growth. While we do not treat it as a medical condition, hairs grow through the reduction of stress, appearance, and giving you a chance to treat hair loss through natural hair growth, where hair follicles are allowed to form and form a denser patch. As previously mentioned, we provide the method so that the bridge between impulse control and a satisfied impulse is being met.
At Noelle Salon, we offer all types of hair loss solutions to suit your hair needs, lifestyle, and budget. We welcome you to ask questions about the different approaches we take by emailing noelle@noellesalon.com or asking questions in the comment section.
