Comments on: The Terrible Toll of Trichotillomania http://thebeautybrains.com/2007/03/19/the-terrible-toll-of-trichotillomania/ Cosmetic chemists answer your beauty product questions! We are a group of cosmetic scientists who understand what the chemicals used in cosmetics really do, how products are tested, and what all the advertising means. Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:33:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Rebecca http://thebeautybrains.com/2007/03/19/the-terrible-toll-of-trichotillomania/comment-page-1/#comment-45885 Rebecca Thu, 03 Dec 2009 19:55:21 +0000 http://thebeautybrains.com/2007/03/19/the-terrible-toll-of-trichotillomania/#comment-45885 From the LA Times (10/19/09): Q: I suffer from trichotillomania. I pull hairs constantly, and this leaves little bald spots. I heard on your radio program about an amino acid to calm this compulsion. A: Trichotillomania is a condition in which people feel an overwhelming urge to pull hair from their heads, eyebrows, eyelashes or even pubic area. Physicians don't understand the cause. There is no Food and Drug Administration-approved treatment. Researchers reported in July in the Archives of General Psychiatry that the amino acid N-acetylcysteine could help. Subjects received 1,200 milligrams per day of the dietary supplement or placebo. If there was no improvement after six weeks, the dose was increased to 2,400 milligrams. The investigators concluded that the trial showed "that N-acetylcysteine is safe and more effective than placebo for the treatment of trichotillomania." No adverse events were reported, but some may experience headache, itching, flatulence, increased blood pressure or fatigue. From the LA Times (10/19/09):

Q: I suffer from trichotillomania. I pull hairs constantly, and this leaves little bald spots. I heard on your radio program about an amino acid to calm this compulsion.

A: Trichotillomania is a condition in which people feel an overwhelming urge to pull hair from their heads, eyebrows, eyelashes or even pubic area. Physicians don’t understand the cause. There is no Food and Drug Administration-approved treatment.

Researchers reported in July in the Archives of General Psychiatry that the amino acid N-acetylcysteine could help. Subjects received 1,200 milligrams per day of the dietary supplement or placebo. If there was no improvement after six weeks, the dose was increased to 2,400 milligrams.

The investigators concluded that the trial showed “that N-acetylcysteine is safe and more effective than placebo for the treatment of trichotillomania.” No adverse events were reported, but some may experience headache, itching, flatulence, increased blood pressure or fatigue.

]]> By: Dillyn http://thebeautybrains.com/2007/03/19/the-terrible-toll-of-trichotillomania/comment-page-1/#comment-44214 Dillyn Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:35:41 +0000 http://thebeautybrains.com/2007/03/19/the-terrible-toll-of-trichotillomania/#comment-44214 Oh and also she said that it could be from depression...I am a sixteen year old boy with no worries...so is there more it could be from? Oh and also she said that it could be from depression…I am a sixteen year old boy with no worries…so is there more it could be from?

]]> By: Dillyn http://thebeautybrains.com/2007/03/19/the-terrible-toll-of-trichotillomania/comment-page-1/#comment-44213 Dillyn Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:33:26 +0000 http://thebeautybrains.com/2007/03/19/the-terrible-toll-of-trichotillomania/#comment-44213 Wow. Thats kind of scary. My friend that i sit by in 4th hour noticed me pulling at my scalp and my eyelashes a few weeks ago, but she never said anything about it till today. I thought it was just a bad habit, but then I realized that I was doing it all the time, even right now im fighting the urdge to pull my eyelashes out. I am pretty sure I only have it slightly though because I don't HAVE to pull at myself. I stopped pulling at my scalp. Its just my eyelashes now...I know I have to stop. Hopfully i may be able to get some help. Wow. Thats kind of scary. My friend that i sit by in 4th hour noticed me pulling at my scalp and my eyelashes a few weeks ago, but she never said anything about it till today.
I thought it was just a bad habit, but then I realized that I was doing it all the time, even right now im fighting the urdge to pull my eyelashes out. I am pretty sure I only have it slightly though because I don’t HAVE to pull at myself. I stopped pulling at my scalp. Its just my eyelashes now…I know I have to stop. Hopfully i may be able to get some help.

]]> By: mel http://thebeautybrains.com/2007/03/19/the-terrible-toll-of-trichotillomania/comment-page-1/#comment-43325 mel Mon, 05 Oct 2009 20:33:52 +0000 http://thebeautybrains.com/2007/03/19/the-terrible-toll-of-trichotillomania/#comment-43325 I'm 19 and have had it for 5 years, I had cut my hair short and was regrowing it nicely when I started. Now, I've dropped/been kicked out of high school last year( they were going to "baker act" me for pulling, which is when they put you in a mental hospital for 3 days) Its depressing, but I've kinda accepted it, I can't stop. I miss my long hair, and sometimes I cry when I look in the mirror with what I see, but nothing works for me. I've tried the whole distraction thing, only to find myself still pulling... I wear my hair in a spiky pixi cut like I did before I started growing it out(even though it hasn't been cut in 5 years) and it hides it pretty well I’m 19 and have had it for 5 years, I had cut my hair short and was regrowing it nicely when I started. Now, I’ve dropped/been kicked out of high school last year( they were going to “baker act” me for pulling, which is when they put you in a mental hospital for 3 days) Its depressing, but I’ve kinda accepted it, I can’t stop. I miss my long hair, and sometimes I cry when I look in the mirror with what I see, but nothing works for me. I’ve tried the whole distraction thing, only to find myself still pulling… I wear my hair in a spiky pixi cut like I did before I started growing it out(even though it hasn’t been cut in 5 years) and it hides it pretty well

]]> By: Tanya http://thebeautybrains.com/2007/03/19/the-terrible-toll-of-trichotillomania/comment-page-1/#comment-40258 Tanya Wed, 22 Jul 2009 01:49:04 +0000 http://thebeautybrains.com/2007/03/19/the-terrible-toll-of-trichotillomania/#comment-40258 I'm 16 and i've been pulling for about two years now. often times i 'clear out' my eyebrows so to speak and then i have to use eyebrow makeup to cover it up. my family is going to the beach soon and although i have waterproof eyeliner for my eyebrows, i'm so worried it's all gonna come off and i'm gonna look like a creeper. i've been to two specialists so far, and i'm kind of losing motivation to keep trying to stop with various strategies. what do i do? I’m 16 and i’ve been pulling for about two years now. often times i ‘clear out’ my eyebrows so to speak and then i have to use eyebrow makeup to cover it up. my family is going to the beach soon and although i have waterproof eyeliner for my eyebrows, i’m so worried it’s all gonna come off and i’m gonna look like a creeper. i’ve been to two specialists so far, and i’m kind of losing motivation to keep trying to stop with various strategies. what do i do?

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