What Treatments Are Available?
Research into treatments for trichotillomania has grown steadily over the past decade. Although no one treatment has been found to be effective for everyone, a number of treatment options have shown promise for some people with TTM. TLC will make referrals to practitioners of any of the following therapies, at no charge.

• Cognitive-Behavior Therapy
  Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy is a form of therapy that seeks to alter behavior by identifying the precise factors that trigger hair pulling and learning skills to interrupt and redirect responses to those triggers. Cognitive-behavioral should be performed by a psychologist trained in this method and well versed in trichotillomania-something that may be easier said than done, as there is not an abundance of psychologists with this specialty. The therapist will encourage hair pullers to develop an increased awareness of the times of day, emotional states, and other factors that promote hair pulling, as an important precursor to being able to control the behavior. Some hair pullers have had success with simple behavioral devices such as putting bandages on their fingers to interfere with pulling, keeping records of their hair pulling, or changing environmental cues that can trigger pulling.
• Medication
  A number of medications have shown promise in reducing the severity of TTM symptoms. Most of these fall under the category of selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), the most commonly known of which is Prozac. The effectiveness of these drugs for hair pulling ranges considerably. A small percentage of people find these drugs to stop their hair pulling completely, while others feel no effect at all. Still other people have found the urges to pull their hair reduced somewhat, for varying periods of time. Researchers are studying the possible benefits of combining drugs with cognitive-behavioral therapy.
• Support Groups & Sharing
  Many hair pullers have discovered that the shame of being alone and hiding the condition can make it even harder to focus on strategies to reduce pulling. Joining a support group can go a long way toward erasing the shame and making people with TTM feel "normal" again. TLC maintains a database of support groups around the country for people with TTM, and referrals are free. TLC will also assist with the formation of new support groups. Some support groups are entirely peer-run; others are run by a mental health professional. Many groups feature a "check-in" time-a time for members to report on their progress-which can help reduce pulling.
• Alternative Therapies
  There are anecdotal reports that several alternative therapies, including hypnosis, biofeedback, dietary changes, and exercise, among others, have been found helpful by many people.