Keywords: Trichotillomania, Obsessive–compulsive disorder,
Homoeopathy
Introduction:
Trichotillomania, which is classified as
an impulse control
disorder by DSM-IV, is the compulsive urge to pull out one's own hair leading to
noticeable hair loss, distress, and social or functional impairment. It is
often chronic and difficult to treat. The hair-pulling behaviour can occur
during both relaxed and stressful times, but people with Trichotillomania often
experience a mounting sense of tension before hair pulling occurs or when
attempting to resist the behaviour. Hair
pulling was first described in the literature in 1885, [2] and the term Trichotillomania was coined by the
French dermatologist François Henri
Hallopeau in 1889.1
The cause of Trichotillomania is unclear. But like many
complex disorders, it was thought it is a combination of genetic and
environmental factors. has been hypothesized to lie on the obsessive–compulsive
spectrum, it was included in the group of obsessive–compulsive
disorder, nail biting and skin picking, tic disorders and eating disorders. It is associated with irresistible urges to
perform unwanted repetitive behaviour.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies
have demonstrated that some individuals with Trichotillomania have
abnormalities of the lenticulate. Abnormal brain metabolism ,serotonin
deficiency,: Positron emission tomography (PET) scans have revealed that some
individuals with Trichotillomania have a high metabolic glucose rate in the
global, bilateral, cerebellar, and right superior parietal areas.
The lifetime prevalence is estimated to be between 0.6%
(overall) and may be as high as 1.5% (in males) to 3.4% (in females).
Trichotillomania usually develops during adolescence ,most
often between the ages of 11 and 13 — and is often a lifelong problem. Younger Children
of 5 years age also can be prone to hair pulling, but this is usually mild and
goes away on its own without treatment. Although far more women than men are
treated for Trichotillomania 1
Signs and
symptoms:
Trichotillomania is usually confined to one or two sites, [1] but can involve multiple
sites. The scalp is the most common pulling site, followed by the eyebrows,
eyelashes, face, arms, legs, and pubic hairs.2The classic
presentation is the "Friar Tuck" form of vertex and crown alopecia
. Most oftentimes, hairs
are removed when the mind is occupied
and the hands are idle like lying in bed, reading, watching television, etc.
Hair pulling occurs in a "trance-like" state;
hence, Trichotillomania is subdivided into "automatic" and "focused" hair pulling.
Children are more often in the automatic, or subconscious, subtype and may not
consciously remember pulling their hair. Other type is focused, or conscious, rituals associated
with hair pulling, including seeking specific types of hairs to pull, pulling
until the hair feels "just right", or pulling in response to a
specific sensation. Knowledge of the subtype is helpful in
determining treatment strategies.
Anagen - Growth Phase - Approximately 85
percent of the hair on head is in the growing phase at any given time. This
phase can last 2 to 6 years. Hair can grow at the rate of approximately 5
inches per year. Catagen - Transitional phase. When the Anagen growth
phase comes to an end, hair enters into a Catagen phase which lasts about one
or two weeks. During this transitional phase, the hair follicle shrinks to
about 1/6th of the normal diameter. The "root" is diminished and the
dermal papilla breaks away and rests below the scalp. Telogen - Resting
Phase. After the catagen phase, hair goes into a resting phase known as Telogen.
This period can last five to six weeks. Although the hair does not grow during
this stage, the dermal papilla stays in the resting phase below the scalp.
Approximately 10 to 15 percent of all hairs on head are in this resting phase at any given
moment.
In Trichotillomania Telogen
hairs are easily plucked .Anagen hairs appear broken off and twisted, as it
is difficult to extracting Anagen hairs
out. In Trichotillomania
hair pull test may be negative. in the affected area all Telogen hairs would have already been
removed.1, 2
Areas
of active plucking can convert hairs from Anagen over to catagen then to Telogen. Because
catagen hairs only account for approximately 1% of hairs on the scalp, the
presence of 2 to 3 catagen hairs in a specific biopsy can be suggestive of a
diagnosis.
Hair
pulling is a way of dealing with negative or uncomfortable feelings, such as
stress, anxiety, tension, loneliness, fatigue or frustration. Leading to Social problems.
Trichophagia
(Ingesting hair) is common in persons who pull out their hair. This chewing or
mouthing behaviour can frequently lead to the formation of trichobezoars (i.e.,
hair casts) in the stomach or small intestines 2
Diagnosis 1:
On the scalp, there are multiple, broken off hairs in
irregular patches in varying lengths. Biopsy can be confirmatory.
1.
Recurrent
pulling of one’s hair leading to noticeable
hair loss, an
increasing sense of tension immediately before pulling out the hair or
when attempting to resist the behaviour
2.
Pleasure,
gratification, or relief when pulling out the hair
3.
The
condition not attributable to another mental disorder or medical condition
4.
The
disturbance causing clinically significant distress in social, professional, or
personal areas of functioning.
Acknowledgements: I thank my
patient for her co operation in above said article.
References:
2)
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/915057-overview#a0199
C A S E
Patient by name
Ms B, 15Years, sex F, Student, came on 21/04/2010 with following complaints
Presenting complaints:
1) Hair
pulling 6year duration
2) Pain
head
3) Sleeplessness
History of presenting
complaints:
Hair
pulling 6year duration, while on computer,
Pain
in abdomen during menses
White
discharge before menses
Eruptions
over forehead
Very
irritable
•
Past
history : Nothing Particular
•
Treatment
history : took allopathic treatment without any
benefit
•
family
history : Nothing Particular
•
Personal
history: Appetite: moderate, Thirst: moderate bowels:
regular. Sleep: difficulty
•
Life
space investigation: patient is a one of
the two female children to well educated working parents, good childhood, good primary,
not satisfactory middle and higher secondary education; of late she has become loner
by spending more available time with PC.
•
Physical
examination & Systemic examination:
thin built flat chest, dull looking weight 37 kgs,Heart S1S2 heard no murmurs,
liver and spleen not enlarged, abdomen soft,
Scalp : hair
growth is uniform short hair , no eruptions, no scales ,multiple patches of
broken hair,
•
Investigations: no investigations were done earlier
Clinical diagnosis: Trichotillomania ( diagnosed by local Dermatologist)
RepertorisationLRadar
FEMALE GENITALIA/SEX - MENSES - late,
too
FEMALE GENITALIA/SEX - MENSES - painful,
dysmenorrhoea
FEMALE GENITALIA/SEX - LEUKORRHEA -
menses – before
BACK - PAIN - Lumbar region - menses –
before
FACE - ERUPTIONS - acne – Forehead
Result of Repertorisation:
Sepia 52/18, Sulphur 47/18, Cal carb
40/18, Nat Mur35/18
Follow up
Remedy selected Sepia on built of
patient and on reportorial analysis
210410 Sepia200C 3doses were given with
15 days placebo
050510 no change in symptoms, 15 days
placebo was given
210510 no change in hair symptoms,
irritability. complained of pain in abdomen with white discharge, Sepia200C
3doses were given with 15 days placebo
050610 sleeps was good, irritability
reduced, no change in other symptoms. 15 days placebo
210610 hair plucking is less, with bitter taste in
mouth 15 days placebo
070710 better but hair plucking was persisting
Sepia 1M 2doses were given with 15 days placebo.
170710 as menstrual bleeding was copious, the
following investigation were done Hb % was 10.5 gm, U S Scan was done of whole abdomen:
impression was no abnormality only endometriam was 8mm. Hamamelis 1m, one dose
was given and 15 days placebo was given.
280710
no hair plucking but hair growth was minimum ,weakness was present Ferum
phos 3X 4grains twice a day was given
along with iron rich diet.
110810 she came with history of
diarrhoea for two day history Aloes 30c
7doses were given 15 days placebo and asked her to report after 3days.
250910 she came with mild pain in abdomen with white
discharge, with occasional stress induced hair plucking Sepia 1M 2doses were
given with 15 days placebo and Ferum phos 3X 4grains twice a day was given.
28 032011 she came along with her Hb % was 12.5 gm, U S Scan was done of
whole abdomen : impression was no abnormality only endometriam was 6mm, her general condition was good no
stress induced hair plucking , periods were normal .Thuja 200C 3doses were
given along with 15 days placebo and
Ferum phos 3X 4grains twice a day..
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CASE SUMMARY: Hair pulling 6year duration took conventional
medicines without any benefit, Sepia gave good results, she took 6 -7 months
treatment and stopped for six months the problem didn’t recur. She gained
weight her physical and psychological well being was noticed.
