A study suggests N-acetyl cysteine may aid those with trichotillomania, a disorder marked by compulsive hair pulling from the scalp, eyebrows, or other areas, potentially leading to bald spots and related health issues.
A recent study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry revealed that the new drug, which works on the amino acid inhibitor “N-acetyl cysteine,” may help many people suffering from the problem of compulsive hair pulling, also known as “Trichotillomania.”
What is Trichotillomania?
Trichotillomania – hair pulling – is a psychological disorder that leads to repetitive behaviors that are difficult to control. Regarding the uncontrolled behaviors, in the case of hair pulling, it is the pulling of hair and it is persistent, and according to estimates, it affects about 5% of the population. Because of hair pulling, bald spots result, especially in the scalp, but not only. Besides the scalp, the appearance of hair pulling is noticeable when the hair is pulled from the eyebrows, eyelashes, beard, or pubic hair.
Read about a related problem: Hair loss.
What are the symptoms of Trichotillomania?
- Recurrent hair pulling associated with a feeling of tension and/or anxiety in the skin.
- An increasing sense of relief when pulling out hair.
- Noticeable distress before the hair-pulling act.
- Feeling stress and anxiety after hair pulling.
On average, a person with trichotillomania experiences between 10 to 20 hair-pulling episodes per week. Since the motives, even if unconscious, are in a state of awareness and lack of awareness, as we mentioned, in the case of awareness, the patient knows that the external appearance is not like the rest of the people and tries to cover up the areas that suffer from hair loss in different ways, such as changing hairstyles, makeup, using wigs, and so on.
Hair pulling – not just hair pulling, but all hair everywhere!
People who suffer from hair pulling, because of the symptoms of hair pulling, also suffer from the problem of eating all the hair that is pulled out. Eating hair can lead to the formation of trichobezoar – hairballs in the digestive system – which can cause the person different conditions that are not beneficial to health, such as abdominal pain, nausea, loss of appetite, anemia, and constipation. One of the most common conditions of eating hair can lead to cysts in the digestive system, bowel obstruction, intestinal perforation, and even peritonitis.
What is the new treatment for hair pulling?
The treatment for hair-pulling disorder has been studied, as we mentioned, in a recent study conducted at the College of Medicine at the University of Minnesota, where the researcher was John Grant, who is a researcher at the College of Medicine. Grant and his colleagues included 50 participants – 45 women and five men – who participated in an experiment for a period of 12 weeks while taking a daily dose of 1200 mg of the amino acid “N-acetyl cysteine”, which is used in the treatment of diseases and other disorders. If no improvement appears during the first eight weeks, other treatments are used in addition to the chemical compound of the amino acid. To observe the impact of the new compound in a better way, 25% of the participants received a placebo, a sham treatment (sham medicine).
The results of the experiment did not leave room for doubt: “56% of the participants reported a significant improvement in symptoms or a significant improvement in the appearance of hair pulling,” Grant said, “while only 16% improved from taking the placebo.” Regarding the 44% who did not find any improvement, the researchers say it may be due to other reasons or other treatments, such as psychotherapy.
Despite the great satisfaction with the results of the study, Grant and his colleagues did not stop at that, “There is still a need to study the causes of hair-pulling disorders through psychological treatment, as it is followed today. But in addition to that, it is recommended to investigate and investigate whether compounds such as N-acetyl cysteine may relieve the symptoms of this disorder,” they emphasized.
Myth & Facts
Myth: Trichotillomania is just a bad habit.
It is a mental disorder, not just a habit. It involves compulsive behaviors and significant distress.
Fact: Trichotillomania can be effectively treated with therapy and medication.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and certain medications can help manage the condition.
