Trichotillomania, clinical, histological, and electron microscopic study

ABSTRACT

Trichotillomania is a psychogenic dermatosis in which the person turns his aggression against himself which leads to self injury. In addition hair pulling soon becomes a habitual practice that may occur spontaneously. In this study 15 patients were studied [9 children and 6 adults], their ages ranged from 6 to 25 years, female to male ratio was 21. The frontoparietal region was the most commonly affected site. Clinically the lesions were characterized by poorly demarcated patches of hair loss which may be confused with many different types of alopecia particularly alopecia areata. Histopathological findings were diagnostic, these include the presence of catagen hair, melanin casts, haemorrhage and trichomalacia. Scanning electron microscopic study showed blunt distal end of the hair shafts and some hair shafts showed pseudomonilethrix