It's a body-focused repetitive behavior that helps people deal with anxiety, just like hair-pulling, skin-picking and nail-biting.
Trichotillomania (often abbreviated as TTM) is a mental health disorder where a person compulsively pulls out or breaks their own hair. This condition falls under the classification of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Don't do it. As tempting as it might be to pull apart those splitting hairs, snapping off the breakage can actually leave hair strands thinner, while causing damage to the cuticle. Sure, it might mean one less split end through the lengths of hair, but trimming is the best and kindest way to tidy up any ragged tips.
Tugging and Twirling: Trichotillomania may involve repetitive tugging or twirling of hair. This can be a way to soothe anxiety or provide sensory stimulation. Pulling off Split Ends: Individuals may excessively cut or pull off their split ends, causing more damage to their hair.
But for some they're a full-blown obsession. While occasional picking and cutting of the ends of your hair can be just a mindless time-waster, for others it's a form of an impulse control disorder called trichotillomania.
Skin picking disorder, or excoriation disorder, is a repetitive behavior characterized by compulsive picking, scratching, or pulling of the skin. People pick their skin for different reasons. For example, they may also have a mental health condition, such as OCD or ADHD.
Overwashing: Washing your hair too frequently, especially with harsh shampoos, can strip away its natural oils, leaving it dry and more prone to damage. Rough brushing: Brushing or combing your hair too vigorously, particularly when it's wet, can cause hair breakage.
Another factitious disorder characterized by hair loss is trichotemnomania, an obsessive-compulsive habit to cut the hair with scissors or with a razor. This hair disease has so far not been mentioned in US textbooks of dermatology. A typical case is presented here.
Strands which have split ends are already damaged and fragile, often due to being handled roughly. Pulling and tugging on them will make them fray even further or break off entirely. It may also make the hair shaft split all the way to the base, damaging the hair follicle and leading to hair loss.
The good news is that trichotillomania hair loss typically isn't permanent, and there are plenty of ways to encourage new growth, from PRP therapy to topical medications. It's best to speak to your doctor or a hair specialist before opting for any of these treatments.
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.
Snapping the ends off is creating further damage. It makes the hair cuticle peel back, thinning the hair strand.
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.
Why do people pull their hair or pick their skin? Sometimes it is related to anxiety but not always. It can be more common in kids with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Sometimes it's a way of soothing.
In most cases, hair that is pulled from the scalp will grow back. However, repeated pulling or excessive pulling can cause scarring and permanent hair loss.
The belief that hair is a sensory organ that can transmit and receive signals on an unknown frequency wavelength may compel individuals to sever their connection to this organ, resulting in a compulsive desire to cut their hair.
So, if left untreated, split ends can lead to further breakage and damage, which can cause your hair to appear shorter and thinner over time. By trimming split ends, you can prevent further damage and breakage, which can help to maintain the overall length and thickness of your hair.
Vitamin E
Inadequate vitamin E can manifest as increased daily hair shedding and progressive thinning of scalp hair. Dry, damaged strands prone to split ends and breakage may also indicate deficiency.
If you never cut your split ends, these split ends will split further up to the shaft. Which means more of your hair will break off and need to be cut when you do get a trim. That's why keeping your ends trimmed can ''help hair grow'' (retain the length!).
N-Acetylcysteine (NAC): NAC is an amino acid that has shown promise in reducing compulsive behaviors, including skin picking, in some studies. It may work by increasing levels of the neurotransmitter glutamate, which plays a role in impulse control.
ADHD stimming is when a person with ADHD displays self-stimulatory behavior by repeating certain sounds and movements unconsciously. There are many different examples, including lip biting, rocking back and forth, humming, teeth grinding, or chewing gum.
Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder present with a heterogeneous mix of features beyond the core symptoms of the disorder. These features can be emotional, cognitive or behavioral. Behavioral symptoms often include self-injury, and this may take the form of repetitive skin-picking.