Supplement may help compulsive hair-pullers

A simple nutritional supplement could provide the first medical assistance for compulsive hair-pullers, who often pluck hair from the scalp, eyebrows and lashes to the point of baldness. The supplement, N-acetylcysteine, has previously been found to aid people with other compulsive disorders, and a new clinical trial showed that it benefited more than half of those who took it.

Compulsive hair-pulling, also known as trichotillomania, is marked by a high level of tension that is relieved by the hair-pulling; sufferers receive pleasure, relief or gratification from the act. It is believed to affect up to 4% of the U.S. population, most commonly women, but accurate figures are hard to come by because many sufferers hide their conditions because of shame. Victims often suffer a reduced quality of life and difficulties in working because they refuse to be seen in public. There are no approved medical treatments for the condition, but cognitive behavioral therapy can help some patients.

The condition, like many other compulsive behaviors, is thought to arise from an imbalance of chemicals in the brain, especially levels of serotonin and glutamate, a chemical that triggers excitement. N-acetylcysteine blocks production of glutamate in specific areas of the brain.

Dr. Jon E. Grant of the University of Minnesota School of Medicine and his colleagues studied 50 people with the disorder, 45 women and five men with an average age of about 34. Half received 1,200 to 2,400 milligrams of N-acetylcysteine daily while the other half received a placebo.

The team reported this week in the Archives of General Psychiatry that, after 12 weeks, 56% of those receiving the amino acid supplement reported being "much or very much improved," compared with 16% of those taking the placebo. The improvement was noticeable after nine weeks of treatment.

The supplement "is available in health-food stores, is cheaper than most insurance co-payments and seems to be well-tolerated," they wrote. Future studies, they said, should examine long-term effects.

-- Thomas H. Maugh II

Comments

[Michael]

The situation is now very difficult and many people do not really know what to do, but now we must get down to analyze each of us and see if we can get ahead, as everything depends on oneself, there are ups and downs but the important thing is that while there is life there is hope, a few days ago I read in findrxonline that antidepressants are the most common pills used in these cases but not many of them know the consequences...

[Daniela]

I've been an eyelash/eyebrow puller for 32 years (am 38 now)....I have none of either -every day I pull until nothing is left.

I'm definitely going to try this -have tried just about everything else and nothing has worked.

If you are a parent whose child is doing this -do me a favor and do not abuse or shame them over this -it causes MAJOR life issues -trust me....offer them support as they need it now more than ever.