Trichotillomania also called hair-pulling disorder, is a mental disorder that involves recurrent, irresistible urges to pull out hair from your scalp, eyebrows or other areas of your body, despite trying to stop.

Hair pulling from the scalp often leaves patchy bald spots, which causes significant distress and can interfere with social or work functioning. People with trichotillomania may go to great lengths to disguise the loss of hair.

For some people, trichotillomania may be mild and generally manageable. For others, the compulsive urge to pull hair is overwhelming. Some treatment options have helped many people reduce their hair pulling or stop entirely.

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of trichotillomania often include:

Repeatedly pulling your hair out, typically from your scalp, eyebrows or eyelashes, but sometimes from other body areas, and sites may vary over time

An increasing sense of tension before pulling, or when you try to resist pulling

A sense of pleasure or relief after the hair is pulled

Noticeable hair loss, such as shortened hair or thinned or bald areas on the scalp or other areas of your body, including sparse or missing eyelashes or eyebrows

Preference for specific types of hair, rituals that accompany hair pulling or patterns of hair pulling

Biting, chewing or eating pulled-out hair

Playing with pulled-out hair or rubbing it across your lips or face

Repeatedly trying to stop pulling out your hair or trying to do it less often without success

Significant distress or problems at work, school or in social situations related to pulling out your hair