This is something I have been interested to learn for a while, for obvious reasons: if I am pulling out my hair will it be ruined forever? This seems to be a common question amongst trichsters, especially those who have pulled a large area and are worried it won’t grow back (at the moment I’m only looking at hair on the head as opposed to other places).
So, I started a Great Google Adventure in my attempt to find the answers (I did firstly look up ‘trichotillomania’ in my university library but there was nothing there – no surprises):
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I signed up to the forum at Trichotillomania Support Online which I also added to my list of links. This has a whole section on the forum about hair regrowth so could be very useful.
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I also thought this was useful, about general reasons for hair loss which include trich. It shows a picture of the cycle of hair growth too. When we pull a hair out with the root attached, we are pulling it out in the middle of the cycle which will then take longer to grow back.
Growth Cycle: From what I have read there are varying experiences with hair regrowth and trichotillomania. If you have been pull-free for a few weeks and your hair has not yet grown back then you do not need to worry. The growth cycle of the hair can take time to create a fresh one (perhaps even a few months), and when it does it will grow maybe a few inches in a year at most. When the hair does grow back, however, it may not be the same as it used to be. It will usually be fine, and kinky or wavy if you normally have straight hair. This is due to the damage of the follicle, which will take a while to repair itself.
Traction Alopecia: Whilst areas that stop growing are rare, it is common to experience thinning of the hair, otherwise known as ‘traction alopecia’ according to the page I mentioned above, which can also occur due to hair appliances such as curling irons. If the pulling is stopped quickly enough then the chances are that this will eventually rectify itself over time. However, there are cases when the damage is permanent. From what I have read, it seems the case that each individual experiences this in different ways. Some have been pulling for decades and experiences normal regrowth, while others’ hair is thinned after only a short period. According to the eMedicine entry for traction alopecia, ’sufficient levels of iron and protein in the diet may help promote normal hair growth’.
My Experience: As I have said before, I used to have a large bald patch when I was younger but now I don’t pull as much it is usually just a small amount of stubble on the top of my head around my crown. The patch grew back ok. It was curly for a while, but now it is completely blended in with the rest of the hair. I still feel, though, that my hair is not as nice as it could be. If I let it dry naturally it usually just goes frizzy, and I usually straighten it to make it shinier. I always wonder if I have just damaged my hair so much that it with either never be the same, or will take years of not pulling to rectify. Some of the forums I have read in the past have suggested that time is the only way for your hair to repair itself, and this may be a matter of years.
I’m afraid that I’m unable to provide any definitive answers, but have a read of the forum that I suggested to see individuals’ stories. For the moment I should be revising, which, as you might gather from my last post, I’m not doing very well at!
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My name's Penny, and I started OnTrich (a trichotillomania blog) to try and raise awareness about hair pulling, and also as a way to help me deal with my own pulling. I'm a 23 year old girl from the UK and I've been pulling for 13 years. Get in touch if you want to chat or need any help - I love meeting people here.
Looks like you don’t have the entrecard widget because by default any free wordpress blog cannot show up javascript. Sorry, I couldn’t drop on you but left a comment to let u know I was here.
Same as the first commenter. I want to drop my entrecard, but since you do not have the widget…….I guess I will leave a comment.
Isn’t there somesort of medication that you can take in order to keep you from pulling out your hair voluntarily?
Science has revealed that people who have Trichotillomania always suffer from traction alopecia in some form or another due to the damage that they inflict on their follicles.
hi,nice web site,im like it!!
thanks for sharing info.good for me.
more about hair restoration here:
http://hair-restoration-for-women.blogspot.com
I pulled my hair for over 30 years. Now I am 47. Have stopped pulling for 1 year now. My hair has gradually grown back especially on the crown and the front. However, it is taking more time on the right of the head. Keeping my fingers crossed.
I am 15 I have always thought I was the odd-ball out because for some reason I would pull out my hair, and even eat the bulb on it, it is something that I am greatly ashamed to admit and I always wear my hair up even though I used to have “great curly hair”, I usually just say that I don’t feel like wearing it down but in reality I don’t want people to know about my depression, I used to struggle with my weight and apperance and for some reason pulling my hair out relieved this stress, I finally searched online to see if I could find out if others had this problem , and who knew it , I found out that IT IS ACTUALLY A DISORDER AND I’M NOT ALONE! this made me so happy I cried, i’m so addicted I don’t even notice when I do it anymore , but this site is giving me the inspiration to stop picking my hair and recover. thank you more than you will ever know.
I’ve been pulling out my hair for about 3- 4 years now. This is the first time that i’ve ever talked about it. Its nice to know that I am not the only one. I pulled out some of the top, sides, front. It has got to the point where I always wear my hair up, cut my own hair. I am too embarrssed to go to a hair salon and get it cut. I wear hats often. I am trying to stop but its really hard. It will grow back right? I feel like i may have ruined my hair forever.
Good article, I was wondering how long to it was going to take for my hair to look normal again. I just wanted to give some hope to everyone, you can stop pulling. I have been pull free for 3 days now! : ) I am so happy, I just hope i can keep this up. I started a new hobby, crocheting. It has helped me so much, when I feel the urge I just pick up my crochet needle and some yarn, and it takes my mid off pulling. I just completely forget i was having the urge to pull. It also has helped with my smoking habit. I am smoking less now. Good luck to you all.
Its been a week now for me without pulling now and i think the best thing to do is picture yourself as a non puller. I’m just trying to be aware of my triggers, i think if you notice when you do it the most it makes it easier to stop.
Hair growth is not the same for all. I think it differs from person to person. It is up to us to keep it healthy and growing by following a good diet plan and leading a stress free life.
-Mini
Hair growth differs from person to person, and depends on age and genetic factors. A well balanced diet and a good exercise can help you keep the hair healthy.
I wish recovery to all those who suffer from this. I have other issues but can relate to the same obsessions and pain you feel at times. Don’t give up.
i’ve been pulling my hair for 2 years now. and i really hate the fact that my hair gets really thin cus i used to have thick hair. But i wonder whether will it still grow back
i really really hope it will.
Hi Anne,
Your hair should grow back. It almost always does. I have had bald patches before and my hair grew back fine. Though it is kind of thin like yours because I haven’t stopped pulling yet. I hope that can give you some comfort.
~Penny
I have been a puller since I was 6 years old. I’m now 23. I used to just pull my eyelashes and eyebrows and now I recently started pulling my hair. I have a quarter sized bald spot on the very top of my head and my bangs cover the 2 inch spot in the front. It seems like some parts grow back with stubble and the others have nothing for weeks and weeks. The spot on my head has nothing but a few peach fuzz hairs here and there. Will it grow back? What else do people do to control the urges? I’ve been fighting this for too long. It’s time to stop. Thanks.
i hate this disorder truly im 16 i want my life back i pull my eyelashes and eyebrows dont wanna see my family to ashamed, its the point where if i try to stop for a few days if i relapse in one session i pull each everyone out each time im kinda using my eyelashes as a shield to keep me from my eyebrows because people see u they see your eyebrows not necessarily your eyelashes but usually this results to me pulling my eyebrows lord give me the serenity to fight this horrible addicting momma dont understand so im basically alone i got skin problems weight problems im just a wreck
I FELL YOU.
I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOUR GOING THRU.
IM GOING THRU THE EXACT SAME THING.
except im 13.
and going into 8th grade this yeari have the same problems you do.
good luck
Kaylee- Good luck to you too! Come back here to chat if you ever need to.
i’m 16 and i’ve been pulling my hair for about a year and a half and even bitting off the little bulb at the end. I’ve tried to stop but its extremely hard to stop touching my hair. And now i have a few bald spots and “fly away” hair. Sometimes i just want to shave my head and start all over but i can’t. can my hair grow back? I feel my hair is ruined for life. :/
I started pulling my hair less than a year ago, I am now in 8th grade, 14 years old. It started after I got it cut more than 12″. Since then, it has become very thin, even my friends at school have noticed the thinning of my hair, making me feel ashamed. Even though I pull my hair out, specifically thick pieces with bulbs at the end of them, I am trying so hard to stop. My older sister has even noticed me pulling my hair out! I also wear my hair up almost everyday since it looks really thin down. However, on the positive side, this website has helped me significantly, and I still have quite a bit of hair left, although it is not as thick as it used to be, especially on my left side; it is sad.
I will be cutting it soon and getting a new hairstyle, hopefully that will stop my urge to pull!
As an additional note to those you try to stop, I suggest keeping a journal of when you pull so that you become more aware of the times you do, it helps. Also, perhaps putting an arm weight around your arm(s) to avoid pulling will help. If these still do not help, perhaps a mental image of you in a gorgeous new head of hair, or in someone else’s beautiful hair might help.
Thank you to everyone who has submitted their stories, I am going to try to be a hair-free puller!
Tanya – I understand how hard it is when people notice at school. I used to wear mine up every day for years too. I don’t know about you, but wearing it up does help me to pull less. Keeping a journal sounds like a really good idea – good luck with everything!
I am 28 and I have been pulling my hair for over 15 years. I don’t have visible bald patches but I do it at work and home without even noticing now. I do it for hours each day. I want to stop. It’s a frustrating habit and I don’t understand why I do it. I have very strong will power in all other areas of my life but I can’t stop pulling hair.
I understand how you’re all feeling. Good luck with stopping.
Thank you for your luck – I understand what you say about “I have very strong will power in all other areas of my life but I can’t stop pulling hair” – it’s important to remember that trich doesn’t make you weak at all.
I’m 16 and have been a puller for around a year. Have a bald patch on the crown that’s starting to stuble I just wondered what the average growth for hair was?
Milly – Your hair generally grows at about half an inch a month, even if it’s been pulled out. Good luck!
Hi im 14 and i’ve been pulling my hair since last year. I stopped pulling it in
August and it grew back really fast, but i started pulling it again recently. I was really worried I wouldn’t be able to stop anymore but I just stopped last week and I am hopefull that it will grow back. It’s already been a week and its already growing ut I am worried I will start again, but I am trying very hard not to and so far it’s been easy I just hope I am able to keep it up and I also hope it will grow longer by this summer.
Josie – Well done for stopping! I know it’s worrying to think about starting again, but if you do just remember how well you did to stop this time. Also, your hair will always grow back, it’s strong like that
Thanks for sharing your story here and good luck growing long hair for the summer!
I am 16 years old and I can’t even remember the first time I started pulling. It had to have been around 10-12 years ago. My hair is much thinner on the top and if parted in the middle, it is very visible that I have Trich. For years I have been struggling with self-image issues and now I feel that my hair is what is making me insecure. My pulling comes in waves, usually months apart and each time my hair gets thinner without a chance to fully gorw back. I am afraid to go swimming because my hair is so thin when wet, and I haven’t been to the hair dresser in over a year and a half because I am too afraid. This article really gave me hope that if I am able to stop pulling, my hair will grow back and I won’t have to cry anymore. I am so deeply ashamed of my disorder that nobody knows about it, therfore making it harder for me to stop pulling, but I will not stop trying to find ways to become pull free.
Danielle – I am so glad this article helped you in some way, please come again here if you ever need to talk. And you’re right, your hair is strong and *will* grow back when it gets the chance.
I really like yOur Websiitee. I have curly hair and I cut and I am waiting for it to grow back…how long do you think it will take to grow back ?
Diamond – Sorry I didn’t reply sooner. Everyone’s hair is different. Since yours is curly, the length isn’t going to show as obviously. Hair generally grows at half an inch a month but this will probably *look* like less for you. Sorry I can’t help much more!
Hi my name is marissa ihave the same problem ive been pullen my hair for 6years but there only two places i pull the sides of my head. I shaved all my hair off to start over it helped but istarted pulling again but the onlything ihave to keep me from pullen is to stay busy or think how gud it would feel to wear my real hair instead of wearing wigs.
Marissa – Good luck with your journey, keep thinking about your goals and I am sure you can do it
hello i am 13 and i pull a little on the middle part of my head. i havent pulled that much since january and it is only an inch long and fuzzy. how long will it take???
Tal – Our hair grows at about half an inch each month. Try really hard not to pull when it’s growing out, it can be tempting because of that fuzzy feeling, but the good news is it will grow back if you give it a chance
i am like really scared….my hair used to be long past my back and it still is but i have been pulling my hair out out for about going on 2years and im now 15..i can;t stop no matter what i do and i’ve been sent away to a group home by my mom because she’s a psychotherapists and she thinks that i have a problem…i just want to stop that’s all and i can’t someone please help me.=( i’m sooo scared.
i thought i was alone as well and i didnt know so many people had this hair pulling disease like me. ive been pulling for about half a year but ive stopped for about a month after i saw i had a bald spot on the right side of my head. i think it took me to see results to fight the urge of pulling. but now that i have stopped, when will my hair grow back? i want to go back to not wearing hats every single day just to hide it.
Shaun – So sorry that I took so long to reply to your comment. You’re right, hair pulling is SO much more common than most of even realise, probably because we’re quite secretive about it. Well done for being able to stop! That is great news in itself. I bet you’ve already seen quite a bit of growth by now, but even if not it’s ok because hair has a cycle so sometimes it can take a little while. But within a few months it should be growing again well (depends on how long the rest of your hair is). It might be a bit curly, though, at first – that’s what hapened to mine then it went back to normal a little while later.
this is the first time i m sharing my feelings with others.by 1-2 years i m pulling my hair n i m very ashamed of this.i feel very embarrased when i go to school.children started making joke of me bcoz i have very strange hair.sometimes i cry that y people cannot understand that this is an disorder but when i see my old photographs i get very emotional that y i cant stop myself to pull my hair in the photos i m very beautiful………..that’s it thanks for this website……. now i m very relaxed to share my feeling with others……….
Rashmi – I got people making jokes of me too at school, I’m so sorry to hear you’re going through this. I’m so glad that my website has helped you to open up. Even if you find you can’t tell all of your friends about it, you will probably feel a huge weight lifted off if you can tell just one, or even talk to people on the internet. Good luck, and I am always here if you need to talk more.
I have been a hair puller since I was about 8 years old.I am now 43 and stiil pulling.I have had periods in my life where I have been pull free but the last long time feels like a long time ago.I have recently been through a relationship breakdown and have moved house.I go into like a trance where I dont even realise I am doing it until I look and see the damage I have done.Until a few years ago I didnt realise how many people were affected by this disorder.I have tried several things and am going to try some of the suggestions that other people have tried I just have to catch myself and my triggers a little more.
Monica – It’s true, so many of us are affected but just don’t realise. I hope it helps to know that you are not alone. And keep trying – remember you have stopped before and you can stop again
I’m 18, i have beautiful red hair however i have been pulling out my head hair since i was 7. It’s gotten so bad that I have a fist size bald spot on the top of my head. I have to part my hair on the size for this very reason. I have started wearing beanies & hair bows to stop myself and its actually working. The only time i pull now is when i don’t have a beanie on now.
I most definitely recommend wearing hats or something. It really helps – if you want it to.
Red – I’m so glad those methods are working for you. Thanks so much for coming here and sharing your tip about how to stop. I hope it carries on
Please help! im 14 and a while ago i started absentmindedly plucking at the hairs in a small triangle on my hair line. I have read through all the comments but i dont think anyone else has done quite the same. when the stubble started growing back, it got annoying and so i pulled every tiny hair out that was trying to grow back. I think the problem was that it was right on my hair line and so i could get at it easily. I am so embarrassed now, when my parents saw it, they acted really disgusted by me and i felt so horrible. At the moment there are a few short, whispy hairs growing back but really slowly, and not anywhere near the amount that was there before. I feel that by doing this i have completely ruined my self confidence, i hate having my hair up which we have to have for P.E because i know it is sooo obvious. although im glad i found this website, im still not sure my hair will ever be how it was because i have pulled it out so many times. is there anything i can perhaps put on my hair that will speed up the growth????
thanks x
Connie – I think many of us have a specific way we pull, we pull in a specific place over and over. Of course, doing it over and over does affect the way the hair grows back. And when it’s short, it’s even more tempting to pull it again. Just about everything I read says that hair DOES grow back, but it can take longer. When we pull it out we do “age” it by breaking it’s natural cycle, so it might be a little different. But even if it is whispy or wiry at first, as it grows longer it gets more normal again. Unfortunately I also pull out the short hairs. Just try not to worry – sometimes we can’t stop pulling no matter how hard we try but eventually our hair does grow back.
I have been pulling my hair for over 10 years. I am 18 years old. I always thought I was weird. I only do it in certain spots, and it’s pretty obvious. And I make up excuses for why it’s like that or why there is hair all over the place, hidden in spots. I have seen Doctors for it and nothing works and I really want my old hair back. I want it to grow back so much. I try to stop but I can’t help it. I’m working with a psychologist to get through it but it’s difficult. I really hate that I do it, after these ten years I have just had enough. I really do hope it grows back eventually, but for now I just hope I can stop pulling.
Thanks everyone for sharing their stories it has helped me great deal. Peace
Mad – Good luck with the psychologist. Even if it doesn’t cure the pulling I’m sure it still helps. I’m glad that you found the website helpful
about regrowth–
i have had trich for 7 years i am now 22. in 2007 i stopped pulling and was pull free for about 18 months to 2 years and the regrowth was amazing!!! i could finally wear my hair down and now you cant tell hair from hair which i had pulled and which i hadnt. i am prayin i can get over the relapse i have had at the beginning of this year im gutted im now back to square one
and have to start again. but ive done it once and know i can do it again.
Ally – Thanks for sharing your info about regrowth, that will help a lot of us to feel better about the pulling. But good luck going pull free again.
I am SO encouraged by this website. THANK YOU SO MUCH mspenneylane for your positive attitude. Unlike most of you on this site…I am much older than any of you.
I am 72 years old. I have been doing ‘hair pulling’ off and on for over 40 years. Thank heavens I was never ‘consistant’… One is usually made to feel discouraged about being older when reading “Well, you can’t expect much anymore”…but I think its a CHOICE as to whether or not we buy into that.
I wish there WERE a ‘natural’ product to help hair grow back faster…but there doesn’t really seem to be.
I am healthy and vital otherwise… so thank you for helping me to restore my temporary loss of faith in the false belief that “your hair will never grow back again”… Basically, if that WERE true… I’d be pretty much bald by now! … My hair is thin and I don’t like my scalp showing through….but I can deal with it. Since my hair is now white (I stopped dying it, spraying it, using Toppek, etc over a year ago)…and discovered something wonderful!! Instead of paying almost $25 for a small bottle of Toppek…I use scent free baby talcom powder (the cornstarch variety) …:) I make it work just fine! I guess that is one advantage of ‘going gray — or white’ …
Betty Wilson´s last blog ..The Arizona mess…The Earth…Politics and Personal Beliefs
Betty – You are welcome, I’m really glad that it can help people even in a small way. I love your tip with the talcom powder too – thanks so much for coming here and sharing your story
I am 14 and i have been pulling my hair out for two years now. Sometimes i find my hand in my hair, and i do not know how it got there, it seems to come natrually. I used to have a bald patch on one side of my head and it grew back, but now i have moved to the other side. It seems to bring down my self esteem and confidence. I know the hair is growing back, but it is very short, and i have to pin it down everyday or else it will stick up and i worry people will notice. I really hope i can stop and feel like a normal person again. It is really good to no that i am not the only person with this, but i had no idea that it was classified with a disorder and that makes me want to stop even more.
p.s. i have found that massaging your scalp helps the regrowth of the hair. Good luck with stopping
Chelsea – Thanks for leaving your comment. I did the same thing with my hair when it was growing back from a bald patch. I don’t know why but my pulling got less so I don’t have huge bald patches any more. Good luck – just remember, whether you pull or not doesn’t change who you are as a person!
I am 23 years old ive been pulling my hair for 5 years……. I really am trying to stop today was my first day looking up anything about it i knew it had to do with something about stress because my stress levels has been up…. but today i am gonna try my best to improve my life and stop this i had beautiful hair before this happen. I pray that all this will end and i put my strengh in God. and pray for all of you all that is doin the same thing……..God Bless yall I love you but God loves you……
Tya – Thanks so much for leaving your positive message. I really hope things are going well for you.
I am 19 and i have been pulling since age 9. I don’t have just one bald spot though…I have always pulled all of my hair out and I look almost bald
Recently I stopped pulling though, and I have been pull free for 130 days! My hair is defnitely growing back, although it is definitely a different texture than it used to be. Good luck to all of you and let’s all pray that we can overcome this!!!!!
Ashley – Wow that is such a great achievement! I’m so glad to hear it’s growing back. And even if it’s a different texture now, it doesn’t mean it will stay like that. It just takes a while to get back to normal.
hi, i’m so glad i found a website like this with an author who replies. just so you know, i’m a guy. i haven’t been always pulling out my hair. when i was small, i used to play with my mom’s hair all the time, and now i’m 15 and now i’ve grown out my hair long. another reason i suspect that i pull out my hair because when i was small, my dad played around with my hair (he also plays around with his own hair as well) the problem is that i play with my hair now, as in curl around my finger, but i unintentionally pull them out by accident. i’ve noticed that i have a lot of bald spots for the last couple of years, but i’ve basically been playing around with hair my entire life.
these days i don’t really pull my hair, but i suspect that i may be playing with my hair when i sleep, i don’t know why. my individual hair are thick, but my head itself is thin of hair. i can see the progress because i see the “kinky” hair that you talk about because i can see them ontop of my forehead where my hair starts? i don’t really have a question, i just never talked to anyone about this because i’m obviously embarrassed. i just want to say thank you for posting this and thanks to everyone who posted a story because they really gave me hope. maybe i’ll take to the doctor about it or something along the lines of that. again, thanks for all the inspiration everyone~
L – Thank you too for posting here! It helps so much to read about other people’s stories and get some form of support, because it is something many of us are embarrassed by.
Thank god for articles such as these. I’m 22 and have been pulling my hair (scalp hair) out by twirling it around a finger and pulling it one strand at a time.. no bald spots but my hair is thin and i have self-esteem issues because of it.. I didn’t even know it was a medical condition, or similar to OCD! I thought it was just a bad habit, and everyone kinda made me feel weak for not being able to simply stop… but it’s almost a physical pain or something when you don’t do it, there’s so much pressure to pull, and then a relief/ satisfaction when you do it.. definately worse for me in times of boredom/ sickness/ stress but happens all day really… my fiance hates it! anywho, really glad to know i’m not alone, and can concentrate on fixing this..
i had my hair short (deliberately) for years purely to stop me pulling on it- physically too short to wrap around my finger. but i’m a girl, i want long hair! so i’ve been waiting painfully for it to grow long enough to tie back- still not long enough, but i’ve found if i use products such as gel or wax, or clip my hair back it becomes physically much harder to pull out.
so try fixing your hair in a style using bobby pins and hair clips to make it physically impossible for you to pull out the hair because you can’t grab it!
Anotherllama – Oh yeah everyone made me feel kind of weak like that too. Thanks for your tips on how to reduce the pulling – I can definitely see how that would help.
I am 12 years old and I have been pulling for around 8 years. Like many of the commenters have said, my pulling comes wave like patterns. It will go away or greatly decrease for up to 4 months, but then it will come back again, often much worse. Last fall my hair was doing great, and I was really proud of myself. Then one day I was reading and I pulled out a few hairs. I haven’t really been able to stop since. I have a bald spot on my head that is around the size of a dinner plate. It is so embarrassing. Yesterday my dad made me got get a haircut. It could be called a buzzcut if one felt so inclined. I really hate it and it made me really self concious. I have been wearing bandannas and I was so relieved when school got out. everyone was bugging me about them. I feel really restricted because of what Trichotillomania has done to me. I can’t go swimming whenever I feel like. I can’t let my friends braid my hair at sleepovers. Pulling has really dominated my life for a long time. When I was little, my hair was my nicest feature. It was long, very thick and a lovely dark auburn color. I feel angry at myself and very ashamed. It is nice to know there are other people in the world who are dealing with the same kinds of problems, and know what it is like. Thank you for making this site mspennylane, and my thanks goes out to everyone else who has shared their stories. Good Luck to all of you. If anyone has any tips for keeping destructive hands busy, I would really apreciate them.
Holly – I understand how it can really control many aspects of your life. But I hope that knowing it’s more common than we think can make you realise you have no reason to be ashamed. It’s just as common as other things, like nail biting, except people just don’t know much about it! My advice is to just always keep your hands occupied – hold the book with two hands, force yourself. Reading is when I tend to do it too, but i always have to consciously make myself hold it with both hands.
Hi,
I’m 42YO. I’ve been pulling my hair for a long time. I don’t know about 15 years. I used to pull my hair at the top, kinda to the back of the top of my head. That has always been a favorite spot for me. In the past, I would stop and it would grow back really fast. It was weird b/c I would get hair cut and my bald spot area where I would pull my hair looked like an upside down volcano. the rest of my hair looked really trim and shorter.
Now, that bald spot doesn’t keep up with the rest of my hair. It seems to have stayed bald although I have been avoiding pulling on that area for about 3 mos. I read somewhere you should give it 6 mos to a year. I’m also applying aloe vera gel, which is good for burns, b/c I heard it help.
As a guy, my family is not prone to baldness and I have pretty thick hair all around.There are some sprouts up there but it is thin so maybe there is hope.
Finally, I do admit to pull white hairs with a tweezer and in front of the bathroom mirror that are becoming numerous as I age. Doesn’t get any easier, does it?
Joey – That is my favourite spot too. Yeah in my experience hair can take a while to grow back, the reason being taht we pulled it out in the middle of its natural cycle. Interesting about the aloe vera gel!
its two months that i have stoped pulling my hair but some of the hair are growing fast but some are slowly and eaven very slowly growing…i give massage every day to my hair is it usefull ore it does not work???between my hair that are growing is bold…will all my hair come back to me or not???please some one answer me…….
Sou – When you pull it, it’s not natural for the hair to die at that point, which is why it can take longer than normal to grow back. You have to wait for the hair to go through it’s cycle. You could also try taking hair and nail vitamins.
Hi. I also feel great that others share the same problem as me and im not a COMPLETE wierdo
I have pulled my hair out for a while, since i was 15 and now im 18. I used to pull out hair from all over my head but now its only ever at the back of my head. I have found though that the hair at the front of my hair isnt growing back and its been about 2 years…i really dont think its going to grow back and i have basically lost hope of it ever growing back.
Is there any ways of at least filling in the bald batches with fake hair or something?
thanks
Evan – No you’re not a weirdo at all
There are ways of using fake hair. You can get a hair weave. I think there are salons setup that do this for people suffering all different kinds of hair loss (but I don’t know much about it).
I’ve been pulling my hair for 15 years. I’m 28 now. What makes me worried is that I might have permanently damaged my hair follicles in some areas, because I’ve stopped pulling my hair in those areas for almost 2 years, but until now it’s only growing thin flyaway hair (peach fuzz). It’s embarrassing for me to get my hair cut because the hairdresser always make comments about how thin my hair is. I can’t change the parting of my hair no matter what (because it’s the only way to cover my bald spots) and the parting is now also getting thinner. And my boyfriend is curious because i won’t let him touch my hair. What should I do?
Rae – I think it can permanently affect the hair, I don’t know if it can recover but I know sometimes it does take a long time. As for your hairdresser, I think you should get a new one! I understand how hard it is though, I did have a hairdresser who seemed to be helpful when I had bald patches (when I was very young) so at least they are out there. I also do think you should seriously consider telling your boyfriend about it. I told mine and I am SO glad I did.
Hi.. I’ve got a problem about kinky hair at the back of my head. My hair developed a pubiclike appearance, but I usually have curly and straight.
Anyway, now I always pull them and the new hair growth is still kinky and coily.
Should I pull them off or let it grow?
I think I should take some vitamins like MSM , Bioton … Do they help?
Thank you.
AsianGuy58 – I have the problem too. The new short hairs are always kinky and thick. It’s so tempting to pull them but try hard not too! Eventually they do get a bit more normal when they grow out longer again. And yes I think vitamins help, but only because they make your hair as healthy as possible, not necessarily because they make it grow extremely fast.
i have suffered from trich for going on 10 years, and haven’t told a soul. The effects of it are pretty bad and i can’t ever wear my hair down. I am desperate to end this problem, and to be able to be free from the anxiety of hiding it, and i know i need help, but i am scared to ask or tell anyone. I want to tell my boyfriend, but i’m afraid it will change how he feels about me. I am afraid of how my family and friends will react. How has everyone else told their friends/family about the problem? I’ve been so afraid that telling anyone will make me look like a freak to them
I just hope i get the courage to do something soon before i make it any worse!
same problem..but I only told my parents. boyfriend..it’s abit hard to tell. yeah rite,guys nowadays.
Good luck on yours.
Same goes to me. Im now 17. and you know it is embarassing..as I am a girl. A teacher started pulling my hair when I was 7. It stopped..but it started back when I was about 10. my hair do grow..but at the same time there’s red spots revealing on my scalp which will cause itch and makes me wanna pull it again.. and also at the same time..my scalp will appear to be oily.
( and how long it takes for it to grow back..?
I tried many shampoo products..which I thought it would help to lose the itch..any remedy?
how is it if there are red spots appearing?
I have pulled my scalp hair since I was 7 years old.
It has been a lifelong battle. An embarassing and tormenting one at that. I am 33 now. I have not pulled in almost a year… Whoo Hoo… but am now faced with a new and sad reality! MOST of my hair has grown back and is so beautiful… but the very top of my head about the size of a tangerine has no hair. I still wear a wig… sometimes 24 hours a day depending on the situation… (which by the way… was how I stopped pulling) I just didn’t allow myself access to my real hair anymore. I also kept my head fully shaved. I would rather suffer with the fact that wearing a wig is hot and uncomfortable rather than continue to pull… and it is the ONLY thing that worked for me. I still play with my wig hair, but I don’t pull it out because it doesn’t achieve whatever it is that I am looking for.
Anyhow, I got into a habit where I never really looked at mirror without a hat or wig on, because it was just SO depressing. Now that I have stopped, every day I look to see growth… and it’s not. It has been over 7 months since my hair started to fill in on the rest of my head. I try so hard to not get discouraged, but seriously… I’m not sure how I can handle finally overcoming this life battle, and still having to deal with the reprecussions from it. All I have ever wanted was to be somewhat “normal”. Ya know… dive into a pool, stick my head out of a car window, go on a rollercoaster or even have my boyfriend play with my hair.
Has anyone else had the same experience? Does anyone have any suggestions? I look forward to some feedback from someone, anyone who can relate.