Trichotillomania, also known as hair-pulling disorder, is characterized by the urge to repeatedly pull out hair on the scalp, face and other body parts. Trichotillomania occurs less frequently in infants under the age of 2 than it does in older children, according to the North American Hair Research Society. Although this disorder can cause ongoing complications in adolescents and adults, trichotillomania in infants usually goes away on its own.
What Happens
According to the Trichotillomania Learning Center, hair pulling disorder usually manifests itself sometime during puberty, with 11 being the average age of onset. However, infants as young as 1 year of age can exhibit trichotillomania. An infant with trichotillomania may pull out scalp hair, eyebrows or eyelashes. Sometimes children with trichotillomania play with, chew on or eat the pulled-out hair, states MayoClinic.Com. However, trichotillomania is typically characterized by pulling out the scalp hair from the area of the crown, resulting in a "Friar Tuck" bald spot.
Causes
The cause of trichotillomania is unclear, according to the Trichotillomania Learning Center, although hair pulling does seem to serve as a way to self-soothe and address anxiety and stressful emotions. Trichotillomania in infants is likely due to infantile stresses, says the North American Hair Research Society. Male infants are more likely to be affected by this type of trichotillomania.
Resolution
Trichotillomania in infants and young children is usually self-resolving, meaning that it simply goes away mysteriously. If your child exhibits hair pulling, it's important to know that he's not trying to intentionally injure himself or get your attention, says the Trichotillomania Learning Center. Nor is trichotillomania the fault of the infant's parents. Most of the time, your infant's hair grows back after hair pulling disorder resolves, unless prolonged and repetitive pulling has caused damage to the follicles.
Older Children and Adults
As noted, trichotillomania usually manifests itself during puberty, says the North American Hair Research Society. Unlike the disorder that affects infants, this type of trichotillomania tends to be chronic, enduring for years unless treated. According to MayoClinic.Com, treatment options for trichotillomania in older children and adults is limited, as this disorder was not formally recognized until the late 1980s. Existing treatment options include cognitive behavior therapy, use of oral antidepressants or a combination of both.
Other Facts
Trichotillomania can occur at a prevalence of up to 4 percent. Between 6 and 8 million people in the United States are affected by this disorder, says the North American Hair Research Society. Although males are more likely to be affected by trichotillomania as infants, older sufferers tend to be female. The cause of trichotillomania continues to be investigated; however, it's possible that this disorder runs in families.
