Hair Pulling Disorder-TRICHOTILLOMANIA
By: Shifa Sajad
Tags: Positive Thinking, Mental Illness, Anxiety, Lashes, Beauty Tips

A DISORDER THAT MADE ME LOOK LIKE A LASHLESS FROG!

Lashless Lady! Yes, I started to pluck out my eyelashes at the age of 14 due to general anxiety and lessened at the age of 25y. I used to pluck out 3–4 eyelashes every day. Until I became a Lashless Frog!

I was Bullied & Questioned throughout my higher education related to being Lashless. No one bothered to figure out the cause. Whereas I was exhausted from awful stares. I left my job and avoided public places, events etc.

One day randomly I came across my childhood The Doctors TV Show, a popular talk show highlighting health issues including Trichotillomania, a Hair Pulling Disorder Meet a Woman Who Pulled out All of Her Hair which I was suffering dreadfully.

After knowing my Disorder, I started to gather further data with the intent to prevent and cure my eyelash pulling habit.

To Prevent:

I began to keep myself busy, especially my hands all the time, hence avoided random and stressful thoughts. The fewer my hands outreach my lashes, the fewer I plucked out.

To Cure,

I bought Eyelash Serum, applied for 2 months and after that serum wasn’t efficient enough to keep growing my lashes from roots. My lashes grew back but still, I used to pluck out 2–4 lashes each eye per month.

So, I searched out other possibilities and bought Bimatoprost 0.03% Lash Up Ophthalmic Sol 5ml after studying the article about Management of Trichotillomania.

Application:

I applied it twice a day for almost 2 weeks. Then I noticed that my both eyelids were crowded with new roots of Lashes, So I reduced the Bimatoprost usage by once a day for almost 2 weeks, reducing it further to applying once every 2, then 3, then 4 days. Ultimately reduced its usage frequency to when I feel I need it.

It helped a lot in growing my lashes back to their fuller extent. The only Side effect I faced was Dry Eyes and a bit darkening of eyelids, which returned to normal when I stopped using the Bimatoprost solution on a daily basis.

Now at the age of 27, I still pluck out my 1–3 lashes per or twice a month, but now I am able to resist my anxiety-induced Hair Pull out disorder.

As I have well managed my disorder, I use Homemade Caffeine and Green Tea Serum every night before I sleep.

Eyelash Oil Serum DIY:

Make it by adding 2 tablespoons of Black Coffee and 2 tablespoons of Green Tea leaves in sweet almond oil enough to dip it in a Jar. Keep it in a Cupboard in a dark place for atleast 2 weeks. After that, strain it in an Amber coloured bottle and store it in a dark place. Apply that serum around both eyes before you sleep because its beneficial for eyelash growth, puffiness and dark circles around eyes.

How to overcome Trichotillomania?

Keep your hands busy. Do extracurricular activities or try squeezing a stress toy.

Try to resist pulling each time you feel the urge to pull.

Tell your loved ones to highlight it to you when you are about to pull or pulling out Lashes to help you recognize so that you could stop yourself.

Don’t keep tweezers nearby you. Keep it in a drawer so that it could not be easy to access or every time visible to eyes.