Emotional Traction Alopecia (trichotillomania)

Abstract

A case of trichotillomania involving the eye brows and the right side bums occurring in a 25 years old man is described. The patient has a schizoid personality. His symptoms started after his two unsuccessful attempts at competitive examinations. At the same time the patient's wife had also become pregnant and the patient had ambivalent feelings about the child to be bom. He avtilscs hair at fixed time, between 12 mid-day and 3 p.m. First he gets some tingling after which he rubs and finally plucks hair. The term trichotillomnia is discussed and it is recommended that a more appropriate term be used, as these cases are seldom manic even in its broader sense. Anew term "emotional traction alopecia" is suggested.