A nineteenth-century French dermatologist combined the words trich (hair), tillo (to pull), and mania (uncontrollable) to give the name trichotillomania to the compulsive, irresistible urge to pull out hair.
This common and sometimes severe medical disorder can cause great personal distress, feelings of embarrassment and humiliation, and disruption of social relationships and vocational goals. Chronic hair-pulling is classified in psychiatry today as an impulse control disorder, along with compulsive gambling and kleptomania, and is often associated with depression or anxiety. Researchers estimate that between 2 and 4 percent of the U.S. population has trichotillomania. Women seem to be affected more often than men; estimates suggest a 10:1 ratio. Drs. Anders and Jefferson examine the disorder and its treatment, offering knowledge and hope to sufferers and their families.