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Hair loss affects more than half of the population by age 60. Start here for basic info on hair loss and types of hair loss that doctors can diagnose....
What causes hair loss? Read on for a complete list of possible causes so that you can evaluate and identify hair loss causes....
Do you know the early signs of hair loss? And when does hair loss require medical attention? Get better results for treating hair loss by identifying it early....
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Q: Trichotillomania
asked by: Darling on September 26th, 2003
Active User, very eHealthy
For any of you who don't know, trichotillomania is a compulsive hair pulling disorder. It is not ocd but is in fact categorized under icd (impulse control disorder). It it defined as the recurrent pulling of ones hair that results in noticeable or significant hair loss.
I have had this disorder for 7 years and am forced to wear a wig. However I am over 80 days pull free from my scalp but I have no eyebrows or lashes. One body part at a time I guess! Anyone else have trich?
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Replies(32)
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nikki_caro
replied on September 26th, 2003
Extremely eHealthy
Oh wow, I didnt know that! You are such a great person tanya! Truly beautiful inside and out!

I dont have that, but I have too much hair! Long brown, thick and curly! It goes down to my butt! I want to cut it but jose does not want me to cut it at all. He likes it long. So I keep it tied up in a bun for work and let it down when I go out. It sure takes alot of ouse and hair spray though! I wish I could have slick, straight thin hair! But im fine for now!
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Darling
replied on September 26th, 2003
Active User, very eHealthy
Thanks nikki your marvelous *hugs*
lol I would love to have any kind of hair!!! Its about 2 inches on the sides, 1 inch on the top and kind of bald in some places but its growing :p
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nikki_caro
replied on October 3rd, 2003
Extremely eHealthy
Hey, well what is it when you have no hair but I dont think its from pulling it. Because thinking about it, joses mom doesnt have any hair at all. She always has a bandana on and I never asked jose about it. I dont want to bring up a touchy subject you know? But she has no eyelashes or eyebrows. I dont know if shes taking anything on it either. I know she smokes alot and is an alchoholic. But I was wondering what it was.
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Darling
replied on October 3rd, 2003
Active User, very eHealthy
Hi nikki!

If she has no hair on her scalp/lashes/brows she probably has alopecia universalis (funnily enough my bf's sister has it!) this means that the root follicles shuts down and stops working. Some drugs can be helpful but in the long term it's very difficult to say if any growth will occur.

Hope that helped!

Tanya
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nikki_caro
replied on October 3rd, 2003
Extremely eHealthy
Oh ok, thanks!!! Id rather hear it from you than have to ask jose when its a touchy subject! I mean, I think shes like 40 something so shes been like that for a very long time. So it doesnt matter if she fixes it or not. Thanks though!!!
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nikki_caro
replied on October 9th, 2003
Extremely eHealthy
Hey Tanya!
Well my mom asked him what happened and he said that it was when she went in labor (with him) she got real sick and almost didnt make it, and that she thinks someone did brujeria on her (which is witch craft) to make it start falling off and not grow back. Like a spell that mexicans do for people they dont like. I try not to believe in that kinda stuff. But alot of mexicans in my family belive in that kinda stuff. But I have the better reason to what happened! Thanks!
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rawkeze
replied on October 9th, 2003
New User
I think you mean santeria.
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nikki_caro
replied on October 10th, 2003
Extremely eHealthy
Santeria? I dont know jose said brujeria. Either way he thinks someone put it on her, but I dont think so.
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Darling
replied on October 13th, 2003
Active User, very eHealthy
Nancy's site is great!
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NancyR69
replied on October 14th, 2003
New User
Support
Thanks Smile

nancy
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daddys_girl
replied on October 22nd, 2003
New User
Hey Chick
There is a gurl that I go to school with and she has the same thing, they gave her some medication and stuff and she has a big bald spot in the middle of her head from where when she gets mad and stuff she would pull her hair out, I feel bad for her cause ppl make fun of her cause they think she is crazy but she cant help it, she covers her hair over the bald spot but u cant still notice it, sorry bout ur problem
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Darling
replied on October 25th, 2003
Active User, very eHealthy
Unfortunately there has been no medication proven effective in helping trich. I feel horrible for that poor girl. Do you think you could give her my email if you she wants it? I would love to talk to her.
I know exactly what shes going through.

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TicTacToe
replied on December 23rd, 2003
New User
Trich Sufferer
Im 17 and have been suffering from trich since I was 10 and in the 5th grade. I would just get so stressed and start pulling. Ive been to tons of doctors been put on tons of antidepressants (so far prozac at 3x the normal dosage has been helping) but I have slight bald spots all over my head. I've found ways to hide them by putting my hair like half up or in a ponytail because most of it is at my crown, but now when I get stressed and wanna pull, my hand wanders to the part where the hair is half up half down. Now im missing lots of hair there and half of the hair there is 1-2in. I tried helping myself by pulling at the back of my head where my neck is, this doesnt show half as bad, i've tried pulling armhair, using tweezers and pulling leg hair (very painful but doesnt hurt half as bad as razor burn from the shaver) even pubic hair-balding down there too (but hey it doesnt hurt half as bad as shaving or waxing that). I have tiny eyebrows and everyone says, why are you missing half of them.. Im like uh.. .I like it like that? I would say that over the past year i've been cutting down on pulling by like half, but whenever something makes me stressy there I go again.. I cheer and I find that when we arent in the middle of a cheer my hand is up at my hair because im nervous for my team.. Confused Yeah tell me about it I know. And during finals at school I find that at every desk I have there is a little pile of pulled hair around it. I have everyone trying to help me, my parents buy me paint brushes but I just dont get the feel of the umm like pain kind of when u pull out your own hair, I have all my friends like hittin me, slappin my hand, removing my hand when they see me do it, my boyfriend does the same, and that kind of helps a bit. Last year the week before homecoming came I got really stressed and pulled out all of my bangs.. It was a sad sight, expecially when they are growing back.. I was so embarrassed. But they are all the way back now, and the hair on my crown, well 3/4 of it is about 6in long! I feel ive been doing better and I keep telling myself that they dont have bald models, (i've always aspired to be one, im 5'11 and 130lbs -yes im healthy I eat right and everything) and it has helped me alot... Thanks for lending an ear for me to vent! I hope some of my techniques can help others.. Because doctors sure dont know what the heck they are talking about!~ ~*turshe*~
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jenfedswit
replied on December 28th, 2003
New User
to Nikki......
Alopecia can be in a persons body, and no one can tell.... It is brought out by stress... Hello, labor... My daughter has it... Been there, delt with that
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Hypochondriac1028
replied on April 29th, 2005
Experienced User
Trich
I have trich, and if u have trich you look like garbage and always wil. So dont waste your time tryin to make yourself feel better by sayin your beautiful on the inside fool. Either u get hair transplantaion or be ugly and weird the rest of your life
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poetmcc
replied on April 29th, 2005
Experienced User
Hi guys, how bad do you have to pull your hair before considred having trichotillomania??? I do pull my hair when I am nervous, or angry or sad. It helps me feel better. I don't necessarily pull it out or anything but sometimes I knot it and pull constantly it falls out. Is this trich? I'm so scared!! Should I see a Dr. ?
I am a teen btw.
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FaithNGod247365
replied on May 9th, 2005
New User
I am a trich sufferer and it started when I was in the 8th grade. I am now getting ready to be a sophomore in college! Let me say this... First off, whoever posted the comment about not being able to be beautiful and have trich... I am sorry that you feel that way! I am beautiful! I am not concited...I just know that I was created in god's image. I think that maybe you should reconsider things about yourself. It is not the outside. While everyone wants to look nice on the outside...It is the inside. I can tell you all some meds that have basically cured me and meds that are terrible for trich sufferes! Anyway, there is hope!
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FaithNGod247365
replied on June 26th, 2005
New User
Sorry You Feel That Way
Well, to be honest, I dont know who you are...Or why you are so angry. But for real, I used to be angry like that too until I was saved by jesus christ. Maybe you should make that desicion today to change your heart. He can change your life and he can even help you with your trich. He helped me. I have long hair now and even though I know I have some thin spots in there, no one else knows and my trich gets better and better everyday. Stop coming on these message boards and ruining peoples hope. They are here to get help... Not to be ruined by angry people. If you don't choose jesus, choose a life else where.
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FaithNGod247365
replied on June 26th, 2005
New User
Sorry You Feel That Way
Well, to be honest, I dont know who you are...Or why you are so angry. But for real, I used to be angry like that too until I was saved by jesus christ. Maybe you should make that desicion today to change your heart. He can change your life and he can even help you with your trich. He helped me. I have long hair now and even though I know I have some thin spots in there, no one else knows and my trich gets better and better everyday. Stop coming on these message boards and ruining peoples hope. They are here to get help... Not to be ruined by angry people. If you don't choose jesus, choose a life else where.
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