Causes

• Like most psychological disorders, causes of trichotillomania are difficult to pinpoint and are continually researched. There is indication of a genetic factor (particularly mutations of the SLITRK1 gene), and abnormalities in serotonin and dopamine levels have been associated with the condition.
  
  

Symptoms

• Symptoms of trichotillomania include bald patches on the scalp, thinned or missing eyebrows or eyelashes, chewing, eating or fidgeting with removed hairs and rubbing the face or lips with removed hair.
  
  

Diagnosis

• The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) sets these criteria for diagnosing trichotillomania: chronic hair plucking, leaving visible areas of missing hair, spikes in tension prior to plucking or while trying to resist, relief or pleasure after plucking, stress over hair-pulling and no other discernible medical cause of hair loss.
  
  

Complications

• Bald patches can cause embarrassment, shame, stress and depression, leading to inconveniences and alterations in lifestyle. Trichotillomania, over enough time, can cause carpal tunnel syndrome and dangerous, even potentially fatal hairballs in people who eat their hair.
  
  

Treatment

• The study of trichotillomania is fairly new (the condition has only been officially recognized since the late 1980s). Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) has been used successfully as treatment, sometimes in conjunction with acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) or antidepressants in severe cases.