Trichotillomania and Related Disorders

Abstract

Hallopeau is usually given credit for describing the clinical syndrome of alopecia resulting from the repetitive pulling and plucking of one’s own hair; in 1889 he termed this syndrome trichotillomania. Besnier, in discussing Hallopeau’s case, spoke of a similar condition, calling it trichomania, and noted trichophagy in an affected infant. Raymond in 1902 referred to this syndrome as tic de l’épilation and Sabouraud in 1936 as idiopathic trichoclasia. In 1916, Sutton used the terms trichokyptomania and trichorrhexomania to describe a patient who had compulsive fractures of the hair shaft near the scalp as the principal feature. Sutton’s photographs and descriptions of associated psychologic problems have — in the light of subsequent dermatologic experience — convinced most investigators that these variations cannot be differentiated from trichotillomania, but Sutton’s terms are rarely used today. Miescher (1942) used the term trichomalacia to describe a scalp disorder associated with alopecia, plugging of hair follicles, and abnormal keratinization of hair follicles. Subsequent reports showed the condition to be characteristic of trichotillomania (Miescher and Schmuziger 1957; Haensch and Blaich 1960).