Did you know that trichotillomania approximately affects 1 in 50 people in their lifetime? This condition affects up to 4% of the world population. These statistics make it clear that it’s not as uncommon as it would seem. ‘Trich’ as it’s called can affect both adults and children with the condition affecting children between the ages of 9-13. To tell you how common this is, our favorite celebrities have also and are experiencing this condition too. Oh yes! celebs like model Sara Sampaio and Olivia Munn to name just a few.

See we told you it’s not that uncommon!

Trichotillomania can affect people in countless ways, from work settings to their social life.

There is no denying that people that experience this condition can often feel anxious and embarrassed to talk about it. After all, we are all human at the end of the day.

Everyone’s experiences vary and people manage and treat it very differently. But if you are going through it and finding it hard to cope, we’ve rounded up some information that might help to manage and ultimately stop this condition. And you might just be on your way to fully combating and living your best life not that you aren’t at the moment.

Remember no size fits all rule and this might take a lot of trial and error. But below we rounded 10 tips and tricks that can help in dealing with hair pulling. So, let’s discuss!

Trichotillomania? What is it?

Trichotillomania is a mental disorder that causes people to pull out the hair from their scalp, eyelashes, eyebrows, and other parts of the body in ways that result in physical damage like bald patches, skin discoloration, bleeding, or scarring.

Trichotillomania: Why it happens

Wondering why on earth this is happening to you? One important thing to know is that you are definitely not alone. And you also have to know people’s experiences vary and this shouldn’t make you feel awkward. Remember the statistics we just mentioned above including our favorite celebs. Yes, we already threw that out there, didn’t we – Moving on!

So why exactly does this happen?

‘Trich‘ is a compulsive disorder which means for most people, you can’t just stop pulling your hair. It’s something that can happen in different settings such as your workplace, and social events. And it can take time to stop.

It must be stressed, there is no real specific cause for it. However, an increase in stress can worsen this and can cause flare-ups in behavior.

The results can be devasting for you, especially in a world we live in, where others might not be able to grasp why this even happens to you.

‘When I don’t wear a wig, during workouts or grocery store shopping-people assume I’m either undergoing chemotherapy or suffering from alopecia. Imagine that.

At what stage can trichotillomania take effect?

Anyone can develop this condition but it’s most common in children and it affects adults too. The onset can vary and can be most common in children between the ages of 9-13. It’s important to note early intervention is best once trichotillomania presents itself, cause the longer it happens, the more difficult it becomes to treat.

What can you do about trichotillomania?

In most cases, there is no clear rule of thumb for stopping it. However, there are ways to manage and prevent hair pulling. It’s important to note effective treatment involves professional help.

Here are a few tactics that have worked for others and might just work for you.

#1. Putting petroleum jelly on your fingers especially if you pull at your lashes, the petroleum stops you from gripping the lashes , any cheap one will do.

#2. pulling at the bristles of makeup brushes might stop the urge of wanting to pull out your own hair.

#3. Positive affirmations can work and there is scientific proof to it. Positive affirmations put simply are words or phrases used to challenge negative or unhelpful thoughts You may use them to motivate yourself, encourage positive changes in your life or boost self-esteem. Try using affirmations to see if this will help.

#4. Try keeping your nails short to prevent pulling and tugging at your hair or go for longer nails if you especially pull your eyelashes and eyebrows. Try this, you will notice you can’t pull with longer nails.

#5. Mental health apps can be very helpful. These apps can be a simple way in helping with anxiety and can help with encouragement and techniques you can practice daily.

#6. Finding good use of your hands such as knitting, crocheting, or even pulling at silly putty can be super helpful.

#7. Keeping bandaids on your fingers can also stop the urge to pull.

#8. Try keeping your hair wet. Some people find that keeping their hair wet can prevent incessant pulling and tugging at it.

#9. Use a pillow you can pick out the feathers from like a duck pillow. This might stop the urge but you might end up with a full bin of duck feathers. This, hey it’s way better than having bald patches on your head.

#10. Try rocking a wig, yes we said it-an an actual wig. We have discussed some tactics that can help based on various experiences. But these tips might not provide a short-term solution. We have found that wigs help in coping with the physical aspects and are also a solution that can disguise the hair that’s been pulled out.

If you choose to wear a wig, find one that compliments your look and suits you in terms of style and color. Wigs can be a super cool reason to change your style if you have always stuck to a particular style and trust me we know all about this.

Need a quick guide on how to wear a wig? we find this tutorial to be a quick and easy method of wearing a wig in less than 10 seconds.

Need to go short, long, blonde, or even try out a brown wig? Here are gorgeous wigs that require minimal or no styling to make you look dead gorgeous and feel your best self.

Trichotillomania conclusion

In the end, it’s not uncommon and we can’t certainly unearth what causes it. But with some helpful tactics and tips, you might just be well on the way to managing it and hopefully one day entirely saying goodbye to trichotillomania forever.