Can trichotillomania cause permanent hair loss?

Author: Theodora Corwin  |  Last update: Wednesday, November 19, 2025

Constantly pulling out hair can cause scarring, infections and other damage to the skin on your scalp or the area where hair is pulled out. This can permanently affect hair growth.

Will my hair grow back from trichotillomania?

Will my hair grow back? Generally, trichotillomania can be managed with certain treatments and, depending on the severity of each individual, reversed. Hannah reassured me: ``Hair regrowth is possible if follicles are not permanently damaged, typically taking three to six months, while skin can heal with proper care.''

Can trichotillomania lead to permanent hair loss?

Long-term complications of the disease include permanent hair loss, and this is seen primarily in people who have been pulling the hair out into adulthood.

What is the best haircut for trichotillomania?

Layered Bob, textured pixie cut, shoulder-length with bangs, short and tapered, long layers, buzz cut, and undercut are some of the best haircuts for managing trichotillomania.

What is the root cause of hair pulling?

Causes of trichotillomania

It could be: your way of dealing with stress or anxiety. a chemical imbalance in the brain.

Trichotillomania: Treating BFRB's like Hair-Pulling Disorder and Skin-Picking Excoriation

What kind of trauma causes trichotillomania?

Recently, a strong relationship of family chaos during childhood and trichotillomania has also been reported, in which 86% of women with trichotillomania reported a history of violence—for example, sexual assault or rape—concurrent with the onset of trichotillomania.

What deficiency causes hair pulling?

Trichotillomania Triggered by Vitamin D Deficiency and Resolving Dramatically With Vitamin D Therapy.

What worsens trichotillomania?

Adults with trichotillomania frequently report that their pulling worsens during periods of heightened anxiety [9]. Alternatively, hair pulling for many adults leads to avoidance of social activities and results in anxiety during intimate situations [6], [10], [11].

How do you hide trichotillomania bald spots?

Wigs and Hair Pieces: Wigs and hair pieces have come a long way over the years; nowadays, you can find hair pieces that look just as natural as your own hair. Consider wearing a hair or wig piece to hide any bald spots.

What is the new name for trichotillomania?

Trichotillomania (TTM), also known as hair-pulling disorder or compulsive hair pulling, is a mental disorder characterized by a long-term urge that results in the pulling out of one's own hair.

How do you fix hair after trichotillomania?

Once patients have controlled their impulses to pull their hair they may want to explore medications that can help grow back their hair such as Minoxidil. If patients wish to restore lost hair they can consider hair transplant surgery for trichotillomania.

How to know if hair follicles are dead?

So dead hair follicles can look like a smooth, bald patch of skin or like a scar. A trichologist may be able to get a better view of your follicles by using a microscope or other trichological tools.

Will hair grow back if pulled out?

If you pull out a strand of hair, you might notice a bulb or round ball (root) attached to the end of the hair strand. The root is surrounded by nerve fibers that let you feel when your hair moves or you touch your hair. Removing this root doesn't mean your hair won't grow back, because in most cases, it will.

What is permanent damage from trichotillomania?

Constantly pulling out hair can cause scarring, infections and other damage to the skin on your scalp or the area where hair is pulled out. This can permanently affect hair growth. Hairballs. Eating your hair may lead to a large, matted hairball that stays in your digestive tract.

Why is it so hard to stop trichotillomania?

Each time the person pulls hair, the brain releases a small burst of reward hormone. The person feels 'rewarded' with a brief sense of relief. This makes the urge harder to resist. Doing the habit makes it stronger.

Has anyone recovered from trichotillomania?

Overall, natural recovery in trichotillomania was relatively common (24.9%), and was associated with lower rates of comorbidities of several related disorders, especially (but not exclusively) OCD.

What color hides thinning hair?

Pro Tip #1: Try Rich Dark Brown Shades To Hide Thinning

Harth says darker shades, such as black or dark brown (as seen on Emily Ratajkowski above), can create the illusion of fuller hair by providing contrast between the hair and scalp. “This can make the hair appear thicker and less transparent,” Dr. Harth said.

What triggers trichotillomania?

If you live with trichotillomania, you may have other mental health conditions, such as anxiety, depression, or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Stress. Extreme stress may trigger trichotillomania in some people.

What can I do instead of trichotillomania?

Stimulation Substitutes for Trichotillomania
  • Brush your hair or massage your scalp (check out the Vibrasonic Massage Brush, which is a battery-powered, vibrating brush)
  • Brushing or massaging your dog or cat.
  • Practice origami.
  • Knitting, crocheting, quilting, embroidery, cross-stitching, needlepoint, or sewing.

Does trichotillomania get worse with age?

Children commonly pull their hair in this way, but that behavior is often a self-soothing act. Children often grow out of this behavior and don't have any long-term negative effects. Adolescents, teenagers and adults with this condition tend to have much more severe problems.

Do any celebrities have trichotillomania?

“Don't Look Up” actor Leonardo DiCaprio is believed to have trichotillomania due to openly sharing on multiple accounts of suffering from OCD. Leo has spoken about living with OCD throughout his childhood and adult life.

What can be mistaken for trichotillomania?

Individuals may be misdiagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), an anxiety disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, or even drug addiction.

Can hair grow back after trichotillomania?

The good news is, for many people recovering from trichotillomania, hair regrowth is possible. Whether you're new to recovery and ready to regrow your hair or wanting to boost your hair's regrowth, there are things you can do to help your hair be in its healthiest state possible and encourage regrowth.

What not to say to someone with trichotillomania?

Don't say, “You need to learn to relax, and maybe the pulling will stop automatically.” Usually, this isn't true. My clients with trich have hairpulling on their mind constantly (which can be mentally exhausting) and have uncontrollable urges to pull.

What vitamin stops hair pulling?

In addition to reducing the urge to pull, it is believed vitamin D supplementation significantly improved hair regrowth, which is often not seen after treatment with antidepressants or other medications alone.

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