Trichotillomania is an impulse control disorder which causes people to pull out their hair. An estimated 3% of all of the people in the world have trichotillomania, and even more are affected by friends and family who suffer from the disorder.

People with trichotillomania (trich or TTM for short) pull hair from all over their bodies. While most pull from their head, some pull from their arms, legs, eyebrows, eyelashes, arm pits, and even pubic hair. For people suffering from trichotillomania, pulling is a release. Trichotillomania causes itch-like urges to pull out hair, and pulling makes the urges go away. Stress also triggers pulling.

The onset of trichotillomania is typically during puberty, but people can begin pulling at all ages. Some start when they are toddlers and still pull by the time they are 40 years old. Trich is a lifelong disorder, and there is no known cure. However, there are things that people can do to reduce pulling, and sometimes even stop for months at a time, but the urges will still be there.