I Had Trichotillomania as a Teen, Now My Hair Is Thinning More

Hello Doc,

I am 24 years old and rapidly thinning out. I noticed this a little over two years ago as I was graduating college and it really hit me hard. I have had a tough time accepting it and it has crippled my confidence and social life.

In addition I had a severe case of Trichotillomania when I was in my teens years (13-15 or so). I would repeatedly rip my hair out with a brush in front of my bathroom mirror. I outgrew my bad habit eventually, but there is no doubt that this disease is the main reason for my permanent hair loss.

Is someone with my case treatable? And what steps should I take to start. I sincerely appreciate any feedback or comments.

Wow, this is a difficult if not impossible request without a good examination of your hair and scalp. Many people with trichotillomania just continue the pulling and compounding the problem, so you need to be completely sure you’re not still doing this (perhaps without realizing it). With an examination, I’d be able to tell if you stopped pulling out your hair, a critical first step to solving your problem.