/r/Trichsters

Photograph via snooOG

A place where trichotillomaniacs come together and try to beat our hair pulling.

If you pull your head hair, pubic hair, eyelashes, leg hair, arm hair...or have any other body focused repetitive behaviors[BFRBs] (skin picking--dermotillomania, nose picking--rhinotillexomania, lip/cheek/tongue biting-- dermophagia) or probably anything else you can think of),

You are welcome here.

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Related Communities

/r/compulsiveskinpicking

/r/calmhands

/r/OCD

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**Other Resources

TLC Foundation

Articles by Claudia Miles, TTM Specialist

An Excellent Read

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See the results of the First Survey!

See the results of the Second Survey!

/r/Trichsters

10,840 Subscribers

9

The main character in the recently-released horror movie, Smile 2, suffers from stress-induced trichtollomania.

Though not a major part of the film (so not really a spoiler, don't worry), the main character consistently pulls out her hair in stressful situations, and there are flashbacks to previous times in which she has nervous breakdowns and had ruined her hair.

I just thought it was nice to see the main character in a semi-large movie be a trichster.

1 Comment
2024/11/01
21:40 UTC

9

Clinical trial for trichotillomania at the University of Chicago

We are recruiting for an experimental drug and behavioral therapy study aimed to treat trichotillomania (hair pulling disorder) or dermatillomania (skin picking disorder).

Eligible participants will:

-          Complete study visits once a week, with 1 in-person visit and 16 virtual visits

-          Complete questionnaires and cognitive testing

-          Take an experimental drug for 8 weeks

-          Participate in one-on-one therapy sessions with a licensed psychologist for 8 weeks

-          Be compensated up to $255

If you are interested, you can fill out our prescreening survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BPTM56K or call us at 773-702-5523.

7 Comments
2024/11/01
17:45 UTC

3

Question about NAC use?

I plan on asking my Dr, but does anyone know if it is safe to take while breastfeeding? Will it impact milk supply?

1 Comment
2024/10/22
01:31 UTC

1

Hair growth actives/product recommandations

0 Comments
2024/10/19
23:54 UTC

6

after lots of research, i’ve compiled a list of things i’ll be using to start my regrowth journey

i thought other people in recovery might need some inspiration or motivation to start their recovery journey like me! let’s keep each other accountable and be strong 💪🏼

3 Comments
2024/10/17
03:58 UTC

6

Trichoteiromania - hair cutting trich - in media, or close to it. Mention of cutting hair as "emotional response to an unruly cowlick" in the original Fraiser show (S9E10)

0 Comments
2024/10/17
01:56 UTC

2

Dissertation Study Recruitment Request

Hello All,

Thank you so much for reading this! My name is Alanna Barnes, and I am currently enrolled in the Clinical Psychology doctoral program (Psy.D.) at Chaminade University. I am seeking participants for my dissertation research study. My study aims to create a novel measure of psychological safety. This measure would be used in the psychotherapeutic setting to assess if a client/patient perceives their therapist to have created a psychologically safe environment. To participate, I am asking for individuals to complete an anonymous ten-minute survey. There will also be a raffle for one of three $50 Visa gift cards for any participant who would be comfortable sharing their email address. The email address will be kept confidential and only used for the raffle. Upon the completion of the raffle, all email addresses will be deleted.

To qualify as a participant, here are my inclusion criteria:

  • Must be over the age of 18
  • Must be located within the United States
  • Must be English-speaking
  • Must be currently receiving psychotherapy from a licensed mental health professional OR it has been less than a year from your most recent session with a licensed mental health professional 
  • At the time of the study, one must have completed at least two sessions with a licensed mental health professional

If you know someone or a group that would be interested in taking this survey, please forward. Lastly, if you qualify to participate and want to participate, please use this link.

This study was approved by the Chaminade IRB on September 30th, 2024 with Protocol Number: CUH 449 2024.

https://preview.redd.it/wfxnqko397vd1.png?width=1545&format=png&auto=webp&s=4a06bf903977f6d824b9e296cee7cbd16cd99a22

1 Comment
2024/10/16
23:04 UTC

3

Regrowth products

Hi all, I'm a 40 year old female, have had trich since I was about 10, and while I've managed to control my pulling on my head for the most part, I'm losing more hair each day than I'm comfortable with 😔 I've been taking viviscal for a few years though not regularly. I've definitely got some areas where I've damaged the follicles to the point that the hair that does grow is thin and comes out easily. I do think that Viviscal has helped some though.

It seems like there are so many products out there now for hair loss- I keep seeing ads for products like act + acre, musely, nutrafol, spoiled child, hers, etc, as well as red light therapy products. Has anyone with years of damage like me had tried any of these? I worry that the damage I've caused is very specific. Though part of it could be hormonal based on my age and the fact that I had a hysterectomy several years ago.

Thanks for any input!

5 Comments
2024/10/06
19:46 UTC

5

Real-time alerts for hair pulling and progress tracking - useful?

Hi everyone!

I’m currently in the process of developing a desktop app to help with habit awareness training, specifically for trichotillomania and other body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs). The app runs in the background and uses your webcam to send real-time alerts if it notices you engaging in these behaviors, and it tracks your progress over time. Think of it like the HabitAware Keen2 bracelet, but as a software solution instead of something you wear.

I would love to know if this is something people would find useful, and if there are any suggestions or concerns you'd want me to consider?

Thanks for the feedback!

0 Comments
2024/10/02
18:31 UTC

8

Is there any way at all to stop trich for good or am I cursed with it for the rest of my life

My hair is getting ever greasier and messier

I can't even tuck my bangs behind my ear anymore

I used to wash my hair once every 3 days. It then turned into once every 2 days and now I can't even go 8 hours without it being greasy as shit

My parents and grandparents keep telling me to stop but I can't. I wish it was that easy but I don't even know how to go two weeks without pulling my hair let alone stop for good

Will I seriously have to live with this forever? What am I supposed to do

17 Comments
2024/10/01
10:01 UTC

6

Keen2 Review

This post is not sponsored. I am 30 years old male. I have been struggling with a form a trich since my early teen years. I don’t pull my hair, but I go into complete fits of twisting my hair. Hours a day of twisting and knotting my hair. Once I start I can’t stop. I may not struggle as tough as some of you, but everyone around me knows I have this issue as I am constantly twisting my hair. I have never seen a doctor about the issue but have tried stopping multiple times on my own. I have ordered multiple fidget tools and cut my hair short but it never seemed to help.

I am on week 2 of having a Keen2 bracelet and I have not twisted my hair one time in that time. It was like an instant fix and my urges are as low as they have ever been. I guess I just needed a constant reminder not to do it. It is alittle pricey but I can’t believe the difference it has made so quickly. Highly recommend.

Let me know if you have any questions.

3 Comments
2024/09/22
16:35 UTC

5

Seeking Insights on Possible Trichotillomania

I’ve been dealing with certain behaviors for several years, but I never considered they might be related to trichotillomania until recently.

It all started with my eyebrows. I have a tendency to pull them because I enjoy the sensation of pain that comes with it. After that, I moved on to my nails—I haven’t cut them in about two years because I pull them off myself as they grow.

More recently, I started pulling hair from my mustache. This made me realize that this could be a serious issue. During a stressful period, I pulled many hairs from my mustache, and now they haven’t grown back for about 4-5 weeks. My mustache has been part of my identity for quite some time and thinking that that spot could never grow back frightens me. I also have noticeable gaps in my eyebrows that I try to cover, but they’ve been there for a long time.

I recently got my first tattoo, and I felt pleasure from the pain of the needle piercing my skin. The sensation I experienced was very similar to the feeling I get when I pull out hair. This connection is something I’ve been thinking about.

Do you think this could be trichotillomania?

5 Comments
2024/09/22
16:18 UTC

1

Help with trich? thanks

So I’ve been struggling quite a lot recently. I pull my eyebrows and eyelashes. Right now I’m not trying to stop with my eyelashes because it’s not too obsessive and but if I try stop I will go bored and end up pulling my eyebrows. The problem with my eyebrows is I can’t stop plucking them. I don’t struggle with pulling with my fingers. Maybe 6 months ago I started plucking my eyebrows and I started getting addicted. My parents noticed because my eyebrows looked horrible but I couldn’t explain that I had trich. For ages I didnt even know I had it, I was confused why I tried to stop but I couldn’t. Then my parents hid all the tweezers in the house. For maybe a few weeks i was alright, although I was gutted about it. I could understand why they did it but it was like they couldn’t trust me. This is the part I don’t like saying because I think I’m weird for it. I have started using nail clippers to pluck my eyebrows. I have found a way so when they start growing I can clip them and slowly pluck them out. I love the feeling. The problem is I haven’t even went a single week without pulling or plucking my eyebrows. I need some help I have tried some fidget type things but they don’t work for me. Also I’m not going to tell anyone I know about my problem right now. Thank you if you have advice please share.

2 Comments
2024/09/20
21:47 UTC

3

I’m scared I just realized how bad I’ve gotten at pulling my hair out I’ve always twisted my hair for awhile for years and it would get in knots and now by my age of 20 I realize I’m pulling it out more and more often

1 Comment
2024/09/19
07:00 UTC

28

finally pulled a holy grail. (trigger warning for pulling)

i’m flagging this nsfw for those who are triggered by descriptions of pulling. i know i can be if i’m in a specific mood but with a lack of real people to talk to about my condition it can be hard. when i pull large amounts of hair i always tend to scab up. i started pulling from my eyelashes, had a bad two year period of picking my head hair, and have basically kept it just to occasional head and eyelash pulls for the past few years. recently i’ve been really stressed and i pulled out two decently sized bald spots on my scalp. these have both inevitably scabbed up as well, and i can’t stop picking the scabs since the feeling of the bald skin is an obsession for me. i bought one of those pimple cameras for my boyfriend, but i use it more. i was using it to look at the bald spots and observe the damage i had done. i’m also a researcher in psychology and trich is something i want to study badly so i was basically performing my own trichoscopy. i saw a sharp, small hair poking through the kind of wet area where i had picked my scab off so i decided to pull it. holy shit. the sound, the feeling, the way it looked after. holy grail. i’ve only ever pulled one other and i still think about it. but the thing is that after pulling it my urges were definitely subdued but still there. i was able to stop for the day but the next day i was obsessed with finding another hair. i figured out how to extract an entire root sheath with no hair as well and it’s equally as addicting.

i guess i wanted to make this post because the TLDR is that the holy grail hairs don’t subdue your urges. i never thought they would, but i know a lot of us have this hope (myself included) that once we get the perfect hair we can stop. but i’ve gotten the perfect hair. i’ve gotten exactly what i’ve wanted, but the urges are still there. maybe they feel diminished because i know i can’t reasonably expect to get another hair like that any time soon, but the hope that i may is still a reason i pull. trich is a really under researched topic so we can’t even say why we like pulling so much, but if anyone has trich questions more focused on the actual mechanisms involved, i’d love to chat. you guys are all brave, your pulling doesn’t define you, and i believe in you.

4 Comments
2024/09/11
13:06 UTC

7

Trichitillomania or skin picking fidgets

I have trichitillomania and a skin picking disorder. I feel like I started improving in the summer holidays but as school started just this week I can’t stop myself. Although I haven’t pulled my eyebrows yet which is my main problem I have been picking my lips and can’t stop. My trichitillomania also started at school, because I don’t have anything to do in lessons.are there any good fidgets,they have to be quiet and small for school? Thanks

9 Comments
2024/09/06
21:05 UTC

3

This probably warrants a TW but I don't know what to put

My hair is getting ever greasier and I really want to stop but I can't
every time I shower I tell myself "okay, no more pulling because your hair's all nice and neat" but I do it anyways
and now it isn't even nice and neat anymore because it's just SO greasy
what to do

0 Comments
2024/09/01
04:31 UTC

9

Do I have it?

I have recently heard of trich and I am wondering if I might have it or if my behaviours are relatively common? I often pluck hairs on my body such as my stomach and public hairs. I find it so addictive and I can’t stop myself unless I have gotten out all the hairs that are bothering me (usually dark, thick looking hairs) i do this most nights.. I don’t pull out hair on my head however if I am feeling extremely overwhelmed and frustrated, I do grab my hair with both hands automatically and tug at the root (I don’t even think about it, it just happens) but not to the point where I have ripped any hair out but it does give me a sense of release.. I always feel guilty and embarrassed after I have done that though.

Any thoughts and opinions are welcome! Thank you x

12 Comments
2024/08/28
23:12 UTC

7

Toddler copying me

I have been mostly free of using my hair as an anxiety release, but recently had a traumatic incident and struggled not to at least twist/ twirl it. My 2 year old has started emulating me... he also picks at things quite a bit like healing scabs, peeling paint, that kind of thing. Breaks my heart to think I've given him anxiety either genetically or through observed behavior. Any advice? Favorite young toddler fidget ideas?

1 Comment
2024/08/16
18:42 UTC

5

Bad Episodes

Gosh I’ve been dealing with trich since I was in 1st grade. I’m 29 now almost and sometimes I can get a good control over it. Recently there have been some HUGE stressors in my life and I have nearly ripped half of the hair on the crown of my head, right down in a line. One half with hair the other not lol. Does anyone else chase the bloody ones? Those have such a distinct sharp pain at first and then still kind of ache a bit after but it feels stupid good in the moment.

I shave my head and usually that stops the urge because I can’t pull with my fingers. But I also pull from my chin with tweezers and have discovered I can still pull my hair with tweezers even if I shave on the lowest setting nearly to my scalp.

I know I need to hide my tweezers somewhere or have someone do it for me. But I get so incredibly, horribly anxious, if I cannot pull a hair out I’ve been focusing on, especially on my chin where I can feel the little stubbles coming in. It feels like constant static energy making my brain feel fuzzy if I can’t get them or am resisting the urge.

Usually after I pull I can just shave my head and forgive myself instead of beating myself up over it. But man I’ve done a number this time. It’s getting to the level of when I was in college and ripped out all the hair on the crown of my head.

This mess is so hard to break…

1 Comment
2024/08/16
13:30 UTC

19

I’m an Australian Therapist with Trich

I’m an Australian Therapist with Trich

Hello! My name is Katie Parker and I’m an Australian Psychologist with lived experience of trichotillomania and other body focussed repetitive behaviours.

I’d love to start working with the trich community and I’m currently taking new clients for appointments on Fridays. I’m based in Perth but can provide online video sessions Australia-wide.

Whether you want to work on trich specifically or any other concerns, please check out my profile on Psychology Today to see whether you think we’d be a good fit.

In the interest of confidentiality, rather than commenting on this thread, please reach out to me directly via email if you have questions.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/counselling/katie-parker-bedford-wa/1362522

2 Comments
2024/08/15
07:46 UTC

1

Problèmes de peau

Salut !

Connaissez-vous un bon dermato sur Paris ou dans le 95/93 ?

Merci d’avance.

Bon courage à tous.

0 Comments
2024/07/20
17:24 UTC

3

tying knots

hi, i’ve been pulling my hair out since i’ve been in the second grade. i want to stop, but there’s been moments where i’ve just lost all hope. i’ve always pulled kind of differently though and i wanted to see if anyone could relate or recommend ways of stopping. It’s a compulsive thing, like i don’t really notice when im pulling and when i do pull, i don’t pull from the root. Instead, I tie a knot in my hair, big or small until i am able to pull it out causing me to break my hair. I usually play with the knot in my hand for a bit before tying a new one. I’ve tried fidget, string and finger guards but nothing seems to work. My hair is uneven and it makes me extremely self conscious.

0 Comments
2024/07/17
05:54 UTC

7

Discovery!

Hi all! I have suffered with trich for a while, and randomly whilst scrolling I came across this product - I had no idea it existed until today and in case anyone else hadn’t also seen, this could be very useful for some of us. Just wanted to share! 😊✨

2 Comments
2024/07/16
18:23 UTC

3

Share Your Wisdom! :)

What is one piece of advice you’d give to someone who is at the beginning of their BFRB (body-focused repetitive behavior) journey? I’ve been pulling out hair since I was twelve, so I’ve been dealing with this for a really long time. Once I understood what was going on with it a few years later, I wished that someone who had been in my shoes could have shared some words of wisdom with me. I didn’t get that. But since I’m an adult now, I have my own words of wisdom. My message is this: There is nothing wrong with you. You are not alone in this. You are not dumb or stupid or incapable. There is something in your brain that makes it feel impossible to stop, like it’s completely out of your control, but with the right tools, you can manage it and sometimes even stop completely. However, that takes hard work and dedication, so you’ll have to push yourself. However, you are stronger than this. Have faith that you will be fine no matter what and can make a great life for yourself as you heal. Stay strong, lovely soul.

2 Comments
2024/07/13
21:29 UTC

3

help

ive been pulling my hair (scalp) for 7ish years. i cannot seem to stop, i feel very hopeless and defeated. what are some ways that can help? thank you

3 Comments
2024/07/05
00:42 UTC

12

About to relapse from a decade of no pulling

I’m 28F and I started pulling at 11. I stopped in 2014 after finally being medicated for bipolar. And now I’m a whole adult and I’m in such a good place in my life. But tonight, I noticed that familiar feeling of one single hair being out of place. Then I felt my head and there a small circle of hair that is so PAINFUL and it feels like my only relief would be ripping the spot out. It actually feels swollen even tho I got someone to look and they said the hair looks normal and healthy. Am I the only one who can feel a texture difference from the healthy side of my head to the pulling burning section. This is a feeling that has become strange over the years. I need to feel the dopamine rush from getting the exact right hair out. I’m currently holding an ice cube to the spot I want to pull. Anyone got solutions to stop a relapse before it begins fully?

4 Comments
2024/07/01
14:56 UTC

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