Permanent Damage due to Trichotillomania
Permanent damage from Trichotillomania is a very real possibility for many who suffer from it. At Lucinda Ellery Consultancy we help manage most types of Trichotillomania; with perhaps one exception being very mild TTM when there is no visible hair loss from the hair pulling. We often see women with extensive hair loss from their hair pulling and typically encounter 40 – 70% hair loss in most cases.
In our experience if a client has been pulling their hair for more than 7 - 10 years there is a possibility that permanent follicle damage is starting to occur. This can range from a small reduction in the volume of hair re-growing, to chronic permanent damage where most or all of the hair is no longer re-growing in the area that has been pulled for normally many years. You can see examples of ladies with permanent damage in the photos below.
There are exceptions: we also meet women who pull hair from a seemingly large area but who have the ability to stop for sometimes extended periods of time. This will sometimes reduce their risk of permanent follicle damage.
We typically see permanent follicle damage in clients when they are in their thirties and forties. However in very severe cases, this permanent damage can start to show in even early twenties. The client below is only 21 and has some areas of permanent damage. She started pulling her hair out when she was just 10 years old.
The Intralace System™ is an effective way for a client to disguise permanent damage from Trichotillomania, as it can be used for localised areas of hair loss and it also allows the client the freedom of having a full head of hair that can be treated just like their own. Furthermore, it is a superior option to a wig as it can be worn 24/7.
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