An Informal Report on Trichotillomania (hair pulling
behavior) Based on Internet communications (March 2006)
Vijai Sharma, PhD, Kandie Hansen,
B.A.
Background Information
This report is based on unsolicited
communications to Sharma by
We share this report with all of
you have or had troubling time with
.
Sample
152 males and females ranging from 4 months to 54 years of age
Male Female Unknown Total
4 months-12 years: 9 18 3 30
13-17 years: 2 15 2 19
18 and older: 19 77 7 103
The Gender ratio
Out of 140 people with identified
gender, 79% are female (110/140) and 21% male.
Thus
Age Factor
Hair pulling behavior can be demonstrated by children of very early age. It can continue to be a problem from childhood to adulthood. It can disappear for a while and resurface at a later age.
Hair pulling problem is an “equal opportunity employer.” It is non-discriminative regarding age, gender or economic class of its victim.
The Site of Hair Pulling
57% of you (87 out of 152)
specified
Those of you who specified hair
pulling site, 49% (43 out of 87) reported scalp
as
28% of you (24 out of 87) reported
22% of you (19 out of 87) pull hair from multiple sites
O
nose, mustache, sideburns, fingers, private areas, chin, and belly button
Activity or “State” During
19 of you reported a tendency to
pull hair watching TV or studying. It is
easier to pull hair if both hands or one hand is free which knowingly or
unknowingly tends to get to hair, which may start as a seemingly harmless act
of twirling or feeling
Pulling hair during studying or watching TV was given by 2 children (23 however did not report a cause for pulling), 2 teens (13 did not report a cause), and 4 adults (78 did not report a cause).
Fourteen of you reported “stress”
as
Three of 3 of you reported depression and 2 of you reported “boredom” as triggers of hair pulling behavior.
Only two of you reported that you
are not aware when or where you pull hair.
But we suspect
Site of Pulling
AGE GROUP |
SCALP |
EYELASHES And or Eyebrows |
MULTIPLE/O SITES OF
PULLING |
SITE NOT
SPECIFIED/ UNKNOWN |
CHILDREN Total # 30 |
14 |
4 |
2 |
11 |
TEENAGERS Total # 19 |
5 |
2 |
6 |
6 |
ADULTS Total # 104 |
25 |
18 |
11 |
50 |
Activity During hair pulling
AGE GROUP |
BOREDOM |
STRESS |
OTHER: WATCHING TV,
STUDYING |
UNAWARE OF
PULLING |
DEPRESSION |
UNKNOWN CAUSE |
CHILDREN Total # 30 |
|
|
8 |
|
|
22 |
TEENAGERS Total # 19 |
|
2 |
3 |
|
|
14 |
ADULTS Total # 103 |
2 |
12 |
8 |
2 |
3 |
77 |