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As part of a bold, innovative new Channel 4 documentary series called ‘First Cut’, a new programme is set to explore the causes of trichotillomania, commonly known as compulsive hair pulling.

This issue has been relatively unexplored until now, with the exception of a documentary film in 2003 called Bad Hair Life. Recent statistics show that around 2 per cent of the population suffers with trichotillomania, an impulse control disorder, although cases often go unrecorded as victims are ashamed of their compulsive hair-pulling behaviour.

The Channel 4 documentary ‘Girls on the Pull’ will examine the causes behind trichotillomania and the impact it can have on a person’s life. Female hair loss can have a devastating effect on a woman’s confidence and self-esteem, especially as today’s society sees hair as a symbol of femininity, health, sexuality and youth.

The documentary will therefore meet three women who currently live with this life-altering condition – in varying degrees of severity – and who are desperate to find a solution.

Two of these three women are currently undergoing hair loss treatment at Lucinda Ellery, industry specialists in female hair loss. Throughout the documentary, the consultancy will provide expert insights into trichotillomania, using their own experience as a clinic to discuss in detail the issues surrounding compulsive hair-pulling.

‘Girls on the Pull’ will be broadcast on Friday 16th July at 7.30pm on Channel 4.

There are various Hair Loss Forums on the internet that tend to cover a broad range of subjects relating to hair loss.  People comment on various treatments within these forums and some of these comments can be helpful although finding a solution to help manage your hair loss is a very personal decision that can only be made by you!

It is good for women to talk to each other about their hair problems as you can get some good advice but what works for one person may not work for you so if you are seeking ethical advice about your hair loss then you should visit your GP, Dermatologist or Registered Consultant Trichologist.  Getting a formal diagnosis for your hair loss is a positive step forward as you will then know if it is something you have to manage either in the short term or in the long term.  They will also advise you on what your treatment options are.

Hair Loss Forums can be a good way of finding a support mechanism from other hair loss sufferers but professional advice can only come from those that are qualified – your GP, Dermatologist or Registered Consultant Trichologist.

This months Saga magazine has an article about female hair loss.  It states that approx 50% of women experience some form of hair thinning after the menopause.

The article mentions thickening hair products – there are a number of hair thickening products on the market which are a good way to help with mild thinning.  These products (sometimes known as coloured hair thickner or scalp makeup) can be applied to the hair to cover the parts of the scalp that is on show.  They are not suitable for areas where the thinning is severe or if there are any patches of hair loss.  These products are generally easy to apply and will wash out when you next wash your hair.

The article in Saga Magazine also includes the journalist’s experience of her visit to Lucinda Ellery. For a large number of ladies who experience a reduction in volume of their hair then Medi Connections or the Intralace System are the most effective ways of disguising the hair loss areas.  Although hair thickening products can be effective, clients who use them will often report that they would like something that lasts longer and something that does not need to be applied so frequently.  Using either Medi Connections or the Intralace System will give you natural looking volume and a head of hair that will feel like your own.

There are lots of ladies who are fortunate to have a full head of hair all their life but for those who are not so lucky then there are great techniques available to replace the hair that is missing.

The October issue of Easy Living (available in the shops now) has an article written by journalist Lisa Markwell about her recent chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer.  She talks about how affected she was when her hair started to fall out during her treatment.  She came to see Lucinda Ellery for a consultation to discuss using the Intralace system until such time as she felt comfortable with her new hair growth underneath.  Lisa, like many other women that contact us, explained how she really could not feel herself until she had hair that looked like her own and that she could treat like her own.

The Intralace System is integrated with your growing hair and will not affect your regrowth.  The system is designed to last for two years but typically a post-chemo client will need the system for less than its life span.  It needs to be maintained (usually every 6 weeks) as it is connected to your own hair so as your hair grows, it will move away from the scalp and a trained technician at Lucinda Ellery needs to adjust it for you so that it remains secure.

One client who contacted us today having read the article in Easy Living magazine commented that Lisa Markwell had described in the article exactly what this client had felt about losing her hair from the cancer treatment.  She was very happy to hear that an option like the Intralace System is available to help someone manage their hair loss during such a difficult time.

I am sure Lisa appreciates that sharing her experience has raised awareness on how deeply upsetting it is for any woman to experience hair loss.

Channel 4’s ‘Embarrassing Illnesses’ and Embarrassing Teenage illnesses have both featured the hair loss conditions Alopecia and Trichotillomania.

More and more worried parents are calling us about their children’s hair loss problem. One lady enquired on behalf of her thirteen year old daughter who was being badly bullied at school because of her patchy hair loss. We know that hair loss is embarrassing anyway but children can be very cruel to each other.

The young girl in question dreads going to school everyday and has told her Mum that she would prefer to die than have to face her bullies. How sad that not only has she got to cope with all the other teenage challenges but her peers are teasing her about something that she can not control?

Children with hair loss problems will shy away from certain activities to avoid bringing attention to their hair – swimming and sleepover would be very difficult. I know one young girl who said she gained a reputation for being a loner so that people would not ask her to stay over and so that she could avoid the inevitable girly conversations about hair. Don’t underestimate the lengths people with a hair loss problem will go to just to avoid a hair conversation.

It is important to find the right cosmetic solution for children with hair loss. Timing is also crucial. A child will not want to go to school one day with patchy hair loss and arrive the next day with a full head of hair. Finding the right solution can make day to day activities much easier. We recommend speaking to an advisor at Lucinda Ellery so we can explain our services. We offer a free of charge consultation for children on the basis that we can offer advice in general and where appropriate, recommend one of our cosmetic options. What we do is not always suitable for younger clients so everyone is seen on a case by case basis to make sure we are right for them.

We appreciate that parents want to make the right choices to help their child.

Update

The company referred to in this post – Hair Direct – has sadly gone out of business. When we find a another company that can supply similar products to the public that are suitable for use with our systems we will update this post again with details.

We have tried many products that are used to help keep a hair replacement system in place. Usually a skin friendly tape and a skin friendly liquid adhesive are the most important ones in terms of keeping things secure. You also need certain products to clean the lace on the system and to clean your own scalp.

A great company we have come across is www.hairdirect.com. They stock a wide range of products and the service is excellent. They are based in the United States so you should consider this in terms of delivery times but our experience of them is that they are super efficient. You also have the option to send them an email to ask advice about what type of product would work best with your hair system. Certainly the white liquid adhesive, brisk spray, double-sided blue tape and the super-solve adhesive remover work well for our clients.

If you are using a wig and need to make things more secure then you should consider contacting them to see if they can recommend a product for you. For those with sensitive skin there is a ‘cloth tape’ which has worked very well for those of our clients who could not use the other types of tape due to their skin type. There is a wide selection of products available on their website so to avoid confusion maybe the first step would be to email them an outline of your requirements. Great company with tip top service.