I have been pulling since the age of 13, and am now a junior in high school.

With a head of massively curly hair, I have always been able to get by by putting it up in a bun to hide the bald spots and short damaged hair, claiming that it was too unruly to wear down.

The one thing that bothered me about it was that I the trichotillomania sites said I should experience 'tension' or 'release' that came along with pulling, but I didn't experience either tension or release.

Hair pulling was just something I did.

By sophomore year I was pulling all the time on a daily basis: in class, at home, in bed.

I just felt like my head itched, and that was one way of getting rid of it, or even to focus on something else. I never pulled anything else, not eyelashes or arm hair or anything.

I never thought of myself as someone suffering from trichotillomania, although I tried everyday to convince myself that I was.

My salvation came a month ago in the form of T-Gel Shampoo (for severe itching, with Menthol) by Neutrogena. My head no longer itches, so my hands no longer stray to my head to take care of it.

I am able to restrain myself from pulling. It may not be a cure, but it has definintely helped along the way. If anyone else feels the same way I felt, like their pulling was the result of sever itching, this may help them towards a pull-free life.

-Mairen