What are the Symptoms of Trichotillomania?

Physical symptoms:

• Hair-loss, irregular patches varying from un-noticeable to complete baldness of the affected area
• Blunt tipped-hairs of different lengths
• Eye infections in eyelash pullers
• Sores on the scalp
• Ingrown hairs
• Ingestion of the hair can result in the formation of hairballs and lead to gastrointestinal or other medical problems

Emotional symptoms:

Also usually affected are:

• Low self-esteem
• Shyness and inability to get close to people
• Avoiding activities like swimming and running
• Difficulty expressing emotions like anger
• Obsession with appearance
• Unwillingness to be seen without make-up or having spent a lot of time styling hair to cover signs
• Reluctance to visit hairdressers

Related Disorders:

It is not uncommon for Trichotillomania to co-exist with a number of health problems, namely:

• Dermatillomania (skin picking)
• Generalized Anxiety Disorder
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Substance Abuse
• Eating Disorders
• Depression