Pulling Out Eyelashes - Why Do I Do It?

By Jane Thisk

If you regularly find yourself pulling out eyelashes then you might wonder just what makes you do it. The truth is that it isn't weird, and it's a lot more common than you might realise. It's part of a disorder known as trichotillomania, causing people to pull hair from various areas of the body.

Just about anyone can develop this hair pulling habit. It's common to pull out hair from the scalp, but just about any area, including eyelashes, can be affected.

The Results of Eyelash Pulling

When it comes to pulling out your hair you tend to do more damage physically than you do emotionally. However, the most noticeable physical symptom is baldness. It is a form of hair loss, and this can occur on the eyelashes as much as on the scalp.

If you're finding that eyelash pulling is getting bad then there are ways in which you can try to cover up, including the use of makeup and false eyelashes. However, you can also try a number of treatment options.

Treatment for Eyelash Pulling

There are many different treatments for pulling out eyelashes, and for trichotillomania in general:

Medication, Psychotherapy, Keeping your hands busy, Making your eyelashes hard to pull, Meditation and relaxation.

When you visit a doctor they will not necessarily have heard of this condition before. Though millions of people have it, doctors will often misdiagnose it. This is why it's so important that you understand it yourself.

Finding Support

Pulling out eyelashes might not be easy to stop, but people usually find that they can come up with their own ways of dealing with the problem. No one cure will work for absolutely everyone, so you may need to try a number of techniques.

Try chatting to others online who do the same as you. They may be able to suggest a tactic you haven't yet tried. Even if they can't, they will be there for you and give you strength in knowing that you are not alone.

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