Don't pull your hair out over trichotillomania

Trichotillomania is a psychological disorder where individuals feel the urge to remove their bodily hair, to the point of obvious hair loss. While the general community remains largely unaware of the condition, psychiatric cases date back to 1889, when the French physician Francois Hallopeau described a male patient who 'manically' pulled out his scalp hair, resulting in bald patches. This manic feature of the disorder refers to the individual impulsively pulling their hair in response to an irresistible urge or craving. They know that once they give in to an urge to pull they are likely to create further hair loss. But they still feel compelled to, in order to feel pleasure, gratification or relief. This leads to great shame, distress and embarrassment.