[Trichoteiromania]

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Psychiatry
• Trichology

Background:

• Traumatic hair injury stems from cosmetic treatments, accidents, or self-infliction.
• Trichotillomania (hair plucking) and trichotemnomania (hair cutting) are known causes of self-inflicted hair loss.
• Trichoteiromania, characterized by hair shaft fracturing due to perpetual scalp rubbing, is a distinct form of artificial hair loss.

Observation:

• Four patients with trichoteiromania were analyzed using clinical, morphological, and psychopathological criteria.
• Unlike trichotillomania, trichoteiromania shows no diagnostic histopathological features and a normal trichogram.
• Visible traumatic changes include hair shaft splitting, appearing as "white tips," and scalp dysesthesia unrelated to dermatological conditions.

Findings:

• Trichoteiromania presents with fractured hair shafts and scalp dysesthesia.
• The underlying mental disorders in trichoteiromania are heterogeneous, unlike the obsessive-compulsive nature of trichotillomania.
• Scalp dysesthesia is a common feature in trichoteiromania cases.

Implications:

• Management and prognosis of trichoteiromania depend on identifying and treating the underlying mental disorder.
• Collaboration between dermatologists and psychiatrists is crucial for effective patient care.
• Psychotherapeutic and pharmacological treatments tailored to the specific mental disorder are indicated for trichoteiromania.