Fake Nails To Stop Pulling

Whenever I have a pull episode, I always get fake nails. I don't know why, but it significantly reduces my pulling. I guess because fake nails prevent you from singling out specific hairs you want to pull.

When I pull I don't pull in chunks, but I pull one by one (maximum two but thats only when I thought I had one between my fingers). When I have fake nails, its much harder to single them out, and its not as enjoyable scratching. As well, long nails poke me in the eye when I try to get lashes, and that's a perfect indicator of when I pull. Everytime I reach for my eye I get this pain from my nails, which is perfect in altering behaviour, cuz it makes me aware of everytime I am doing it.

Study Shows Anti-Oxidant Reduces Pulling

"Fifty people were enrolled in a double blind 12-week study; half were given N-Acetylcysteine, an amino acid commonly found in health food supplements.

Patients were given 1,200 mg of N-Acetylcysteine every day for six weeks. For the following six weeks, the dosage was increased to 2,400 mg per day.

After nine weeks, those on the supplement had significantly reduced hair-pulling. By the end of the 12-week study, 56% reported feeling much better.."


Source: http://www.india-server.com/news/trichotillomania-can-be-restrained-8633.html

Lash Growth Stimulators For Bald Spots?

I know eyelash growth stimulators are designed for eyelashes, but I have also been using LiLash on the bald spot on my head, and I must be honest, my bald spot is slowly disappearing!!

In order to get the hair to start growing back, LiLash and other stimulators won't help, but once there is a hint of hair already growing back, even a millimetre, once you apply the stimulator the growth speed will really increase! (At least in my case, this will vary for everyone).

I'm starting to think stimulators help the hair grow, but don't start the growth itself. Once a hair is present, the stimulators simply strengthen the hair and help it grow. If there is no hair in the follicle, stimulators won't create one or speed up the process of a hair being created to grow.

LiLash Week 1

I'm am glad to say that my lashes are growing fast!! I apply LiLash about twice a day (once in the morning before makeup, and once right before bed).

They are growing like they usually would only at a faster rate. I haven't noticed any more thickness than how they usually are, but I am surprised they are growing as fast as they are!! I had absolutely no lashes on my left eye, and after about a week of using LiLash, certain areas are halfway to full and others are studded with hair roots.

Note: My hair naturally grows fast, so LiLash sped up the natural process. Those whose hair grows at a slower rate won't see results as quick as I did, but they will get faster growth than they usually do.

Diet That Reduces Pulling

Apparently eating certain types of foods reduce the urges we get to pull, whereas other foods (such as chocolate) increase hair pulling. Hmmm.... what do you think?

http://www.trichotillomania.co.uk/Info/Food.htm

"Some consider trichotillomania to be an allergic reaction to the Mallesezia-yeast and that certain foods encourage growth of this yeast in the body. This causes an urge with some people to pull out their own hair."

"Psychoanalysts have suggested that pulling out hair is related to erotic wishes or unresolved life conflicts, or that hair pulling releases unsatisfied sexual tension or substitutes for masturbation. Other theories have suggested that hair pulling is an aggressive reaction against feelings of grief or rage or even against feelings of being deserted or unloved. "



Source:

http://www.diagnose-me.com/cond/C609743.html

Trich Genetic?

Ohh sweet controversy. Is it genetic? Is it behavioural? Is it both?

There have been many discussions on whether or not genes play any role. Trich seems to be more prominent among those with chemical imbalances. The chemical imbalances themselves do not cause the hair pulling, but the chemical imbalances can cause other mental struggles (like anxiety) in which coping methods include hair pulling. (This also makes sense why we pull more when we are stressed).

Do nail biters have a defected gene too? No, they bite because of stress, or anxiety. Trichotillomania is not a disease or a disorder, it is a response to something else, and this "something else" can be a variety of things such as trauma, OCD and most commonly anxiety. The tricky part is that therapies for these other conditions are not as useful with trich. Why is this?

Because Trich is not a mental illness, thus it cannot be treated like one. Trich is the result of something else, and we have to figure out what this something else is in order to get help.

The likely culprit? Anxiety.


Works Cited: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-trichotillomania.htm

Trich & OCD

Interestingly enough, Trichsters don't respond as well to OCD medication than those who suffer with OCD itself, suggesting that Trich isn't as similar to OCD as previously thought. As well, cognitive-behavioural therapies for OCD are not as successful in Trich patients.

Cognitive-behavioural therapy involves resisting the urge to compulse. The anxiety goes up (because the patient is not compulsing) and eventually the anxiety goes down. When this same pattern is repeated with Trichsters, the anxiety does not decrease, but continues to increase until hair is pulled.

This seems to beg the question, is hair pulling then the problem? Or is anxiety itself the problem? OCD patients compulse because they have fearful thoughts such as , "If I don't do this a number of times, something bad will happen." Trichsters however do not engage in any fearful thoughts, quite the contrary they feel remorse after pulling.

On a personal note, I think that if anxiety can be under control, then pulling can be under control. I'm beginning to think that trying to resist hair pulling is not the solution, but trying to rid of anxiety is (by other means than pulling).

Works Cited:

http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-244X/5/2

Trich Caused By Child Abuse?

Theories are now suggesting that Trich is caused (or even triggered) by some sort of physical or emotional child abuse; that compulsive hair pulling is a way of coping with "unconscious conflict". Interesting.

Source: http://www.minddisorders.com/Py-Z/Trichotillomania.html

Youngest Trich Case

I have recently found an online group for sufferers of trichotillomania, and this has been by far the youngest case I have personally witnessed. The little girl started pulling when she was 18 months, and after seeing photos, she is entirely bald because she had pulled all her hair. Poor child.

LiLash Trial #1

After one use, well obviously nothing happened, but I did get some eye redness. It wasn't itchy or irritating, at the most it was dry, but thats because I don't actually have any lashes on my left eye, so when I applied to liquid, it kind of run down to my eye.

Anywho, I guess in 3 weeks we will know.

P.S I also heard that RevitiLash is pretty good as well. Ill give that one a try once i'm done with this tube.

Earliest Trich Case?

Earliest known case of trichotillomania (or rather, the earliest diagnosis of trichotillomania) was in 1889 by a greek dermatologist.

Source: http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/915057-overview

The earliest mention of pulling out hair was in ancient Greek works of Hippocrates.

"...Next we must note whether he plucks his hair, scratches or weeps."

Source:

http://books.google.ca/books?id=59ZNHpio5eEC&pg=PA3&lpg=PA3&dq=earliest+case+of+trichotillomania&source=bl&ots=ID7vq_7GYz&sig=hAXQfQxXEq6K9jhcMYTfp15H4JY&hl=en&ei=ftgWS9nOONHTngevx-TmBg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CBsQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=earliest%20case%20of%20trichotillomania&f=false