Trichotillomania associated with a 25-hydroxy vitamin D deficiency: A case report

Vitamin D deficiency has been correlated with non-scarring alopecia including alopecia areata or female pattern hair loss. It was theorized that hair loss secondary to vitamin D deficiency in patients susceptible to trichotillomania may exacerbate this obsessive-compulsive disorder. Though vitamin D deficiency is common, especially among patients suffering from neuropsychiatric disorders, its correlation with trichotillomania is not well reported. Two female patients suffering from trichotillomania defined by noticeable hair loss on the scalp through the Massachusetts General Hospital Hair Pulling Scale were treated to promote hair growth. Treatment included dietary supplementation with vitamin D3 1000 IU every day. It was found that in both patients treated with vitamin D3, marked improvements occurred over the span of 3 to 4 months. These included a reduction in obsessive compulsive disorder related hair loss as measured using the Massachusetts General Hospital Hair Pulling Scale, which correlated to their serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. Experimental and clinical evidence is available to explain the underlying physiology and its probable relationship to trichotillomania's pathophysiology.