Trichotillomania and traction alopecia are disorders involving hair pulling. While these are quite different, they both focus on the strain from tightly pulled hair. 

Trichotillomania is an obsessive-compulsive disorder associated with literally pulling on the hair with your hands; essentially pulling out your own hair. This is common in children, but adults have been known to do this as well, usually due to stress. Traction alopecia revolves more around tightly pulled hair due to specific hair styles. This causes hair loss and bald spots due to the strain on your scalp and hair follicles. This is seen quite often in ballerinas or typically a person whose occupation requires they have a tightly pulled back hair do. 

While Trichotillomania is a behavioral mental disorder, where the person literally can’t stop pulling on their hair, Traction alopecia is more of a physical disorder caused by the actual physical stress on an overly-tight (and prolonged) hairstyle. 

Hair pulling can result in bald spots, which causes significant distress and can interfere with social or occupational functioning, and people with this disorder have been known to go to great lengths to cover up the result of their chronic hair pulling. This disorder can be mild and manageable, but it has also been known to be overwhelming and can ruin lives. 

However, there are treatment options that will help reduce pulling or stop it altogether. 

Traction alopecia is hair loss caused by tightly pulled hairstyles. If this is discovered early enough, it is fully reversible and the hair can regrow. However, hair follicles can become irreversibly damaged over time and hair may not be able to  regrow. This disorder is typically the result of the tight hairstyle being used over a long period of time and frequently. These hairstyles include a tight ponytail, braids, dreadlocks, or any other style that puts tension on the follicle and scalp. 

Repeated strain on the hair follicles can pull out strands of hair and even damage the follicles. This causes redness, itching, and even pus-producing ulcers or infections.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, call your doctor so you can be properly diagnosed. Alopecia can be treated both by your doctor and by Apollo Hair Replacement of Dallas/Fort Worth. We specialize in hair regrowth, hair replacement, and helping you cover up bald spots with our state of the art wigs. We have multiple solutions for hair loss due to Trichotillomania and Traction Alopecia. Don’t hesitate to call us for your free consultation! Call us today. Get your hair back. Get your life back!