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Trichotillomania is a psychological disorder in which patients twirl and pull out their own hair. The condition can be related to OCD (Obsessive-compulsive disorders), depression, or anxiety. The mean age of onset is eight years in boys and 12 years in girls. Trichotillomania is the most common cause of childhood alopecia. It most frequently affects the scapl, but other areas can involved as well. The condition is marked by hairs of varying lengths, any of which have a taperedattenuated bulb due to atrophy and a blunt distal end known as "exclamation-point hairs". This disorder is best treated by a psychiatrist and psychotropic medications Patients usually deny that they pull out their own hair. Simple tests can be done to confirm this diagnosis.
