Prevalence, gender correlates, and co-morbidity of trichotillomania

Trichotillomania is a mental health condition characterized by repetitive pulling out of one's hair, often leading to functional impairment and/or distress. A convenience sampling of 10,169 adults, aged 18-69 years, representative of the general US population, completed a survey to establish occurrence of trichotillomania, other mental health concerns, and impact of the illness. 175 (1.7%) identified as having current trichotillomania. Rates of trichotillomania did not differ significantly based on gender (1.8% of males and 1.7% of females). The mean age of onset for trichotillomania was 17.7 years. The mean age of onset differed significantly for males (mean 19.0 years) versus females (mean 14.8 years (p = 0.020). The average amount of distress reported due to trichotillomania was relatively high, and 79% of people with trichotillomania had one or more mental health comorbidities, the most common being anxiety/depressive disorders, OCD, PTSD, and ADHD. This study suggests trichotillomania is relatively common in the general population and typically characterized by moderate-high distress and high rates of comorbidity.