Strategies to Reduce Hair Pulling

Trichotillomania (also called compulsive hair pulling), is a disorder that results in repetitive hair pulling. Hair is usually pulled from the scalp, but it may be pulled from any area of the body; eyelashes and eyebrows are commonly pulled.

Below are some tips to help reduce hair pulling:

• Monitoring and recording all hair-pulling to increase awareness of the behavior and interrupt the process
• Strong smelling perfume on hands as a cue to increase awareness of when hands are near face
• Jangly bracelet as an auditory cue to increase awareness of location of hands
• Keeping hair short to reduce the availability of hair to pull
• Wearing a hat, wig, or head scarf as a barrier to prevent pulling
• Wearing gloves as a physical barrier to fingers and to make pulling more difficult
• Finger toys to keep hands occupied
• Hand exercise aids to keep hands occupied and tired
• Crafts such as beading or knitting to keep hands occupied
• Stroking a pet to keep hands occupied
• Fist clenching to resist the urge to pull
• Signs posted in places where pulling is most likely to occur as a visual reminder (i.e. a computer screen saver with a "no pulling" message)

If you or someone you love is suffering from trich and needs help coping with hair loss, contact our trich hair duplication specialist Ricky Knowles at 713-623-4247.  Ricky and the team at Ricky Knowles Hair and Wellness will work with you in a supportive and discreet environment to help you stop pulling.