top of page

Trichotillomania is a disorder characterised by an irresistible urge to remove or pull one's own hair, which results in hair loss. Trichotillomania is also called trichotillosis or hair-pulling disorder.

What Is The Psychological Impact of Trichotillomania?

  • Trichotillomania is associated with significant functional impairment and increased risks of comorbid psychiatric disorders

  • Significantly impairs social, occupational, academic, and psychological functioning

  • It was found that more severe symptoms exacerbate these effects 

  • Individuals often experience low self-esteem, linked to depression, anxiety, and dissatisfaction with their body image

  • Lads to social avoidance, disrupts work and school performance, and consumes considerable time due to hair-pulling behaviors

Psychodermatological Approaches to Treatment of Trichotillomania

  • Acceptance-enhanced behavior therapy (AEBT) has shown promise, especially for individuals with lower psychological flexibility

  • Habit Reversal Training​​

Hearing People's Experiences with Trichotillomania...

References

Woods, D. W., Flessner, C. A., Franklin, M. E., Keuthen, N. J., Goodwin, R. D., Stein, D. J., Walther, M. R., & Trichotillomania Learning Center-Scientific Advisory Board (2006). The Trichotillomania Impact Project (TIP): exploring phenomenology, functional impairment, and treatment utilization. The Journal of clinical psychiatry, 67(12), 1877–1888. https://doi.org/10.4088/jcp.v67n1207

​

Ong, C. W., Woods, D. W., Franklin, M. E., Saunders, S. M., Neal-Barnett, A. M., Compton, S. N., & Twohig, M. P. (2023). The role of psychological flexibility in acceptance-enhanced behavior therapy for trichotillomania: Moderation and mediation findings. Behaviour research and therapy, 164, 104302. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2023.104302

©2024 by Skin's Voice: A Guide To Psychodermatology for Patients & Clinicians.

bottom of page