Many women hate plucking their eyebrows and men cringe at the thought of the pain women put themselves through, but what if someone actually enjoys plucking their hair? What if they enjoy it so much that it becomes a habit and that habit turns into an obsession? There’s a medical name for it — it’s called trichotillomania.
Chances are, you probably know someone with this obscure condition. It is estimated that it affects four percent of the overall population, and women are four times as likely to be hair pullers than men. You may be able to tell someone has it if they have noticeable bald patches on their head that seem to never grow back, or maybe your best friend or family member has trichotillomania, but you will never be able to tell. This is a “secretive” condition and most patients never like openly discussing their strange habit in fear of being outcasted by society.
It is usually depicted with people who pull out hairs from their scalp, but hair pulling can occur in other places on the body, too. Common areas to pluck aside from the hair on the head include eyebrows, eyelashes, pubic area, chin, chest, and legs.
Trichotillomania is usually classed along the lines of an obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Many people who pick hairs also have other compulsive habits such as nail biting or skin picking. These are all grouped together as body-focused repetitive behaviors.
I engage in obsessive hair pulling, but do so in a way that no one would ever know because I only pull my “excess hair.” One time I sat on the couch for several hours and plucked out every single one of my leg hairs for fun. Hirsutism, or excessive hair growth in areas that are generally hair-free for most women, runs deep on my mom’s side of the family. I’m not sure if the hirsutism sparked my desire to rid my body of all of its extra hair, but it would seem likely. However, because I am obsessive-compulsive and a ritualistic person by nature, I can’t say that trichotillomaniac tendencies wouldn’t exist if I didn’t have all the excess terminal hairs to pick. I enjoy the feeling of pulling a hair out and get a sense of satisfaction every time. It is like I’m combating the hirsutism one small follicle at a time. I’m not even sure I would enjoy having my hair laser removed because I would miss the plucking sensation!
When people first hear about this disorder, they often wonder why oh why would anyone want to pluck hairs from their leg one by one? Can’t they just shave instead? It’s not really fully understood why people with trichotillomania do what they do, some report they do it because they’re anxious and some report they do it because they’re bored. It’s essentially a medical mystery as far as research goes.
While some suggest it can be treated through a combination of medication, therapy, and support groups, I’m not entirely sure I want to give up my addiction. It doesn’t adversely effect me or anyone around me, it keeps my rogue chin hairs at bay, and I enjoy it. Treatment may be a better choice for those who are having complications because of repetitive plucking.
Lastly, I will add that people with trichotillomania are not crazy. I wish there was a greater awareness about this condition because perhaps more people like me would not feel the need to be so secretive and ashamed about it.
