Trichotillomania, or TTM, is a disorder that causes a person to feel the strong urge to pull their hair out; scalp hair, eyelashes, pubic hair, and facial hair. TTM is very closely associated with obsessive convulsive disorder. Like OCD, TTM is a compulsive disorder that in some way brings comfort to the person who has it by pulling out their hair. Some people with TTM even eat the hair after they pull it out. A person who eats the hair afterwards is said to have “Rapunzel Syndrome.” The body is unable to digest the hair, though, and tends to back up in the person’s system. It then causes intestinal problems. Some babies suffer from TTM, but the peak ages are between 9 and 13. It can be triggered by depression or stress. It causes the afflicted noticeable hair loss, distress, and social or functional impairment. The disorder is hard to treat.
