What is peotillomania?

Petillomania, also known as hair-pulling disorder, is a mental health condition characterized by an irresistible urge to pull out one’s own hair. It begins usually between the ages of 12 and 17, and may persist for many years. Women are more commonly affected than men.

Most often, the hair-pulling focuses on the scalp or eyebrows. But the hair can also be pulled from other places, such as the eyelashes, legs, arms, or pubic area.

Hair pulling can be done while a person is awake (conscious hair-pulling), or may occur during times of concentration or other states of divided attention (automatic hair-pulling).

Trichotillomania is a compulsive behavior. This means the person feels driven to pull their hair out and experiences tension or anxiety if they resist the urge.

In some people, hair-pulling leads to significant distress or impaired functioning at work, school, or in social settings.

There are a range of treatments available, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, habit reversal training, and certain medications.