Trichotillomania involves repeated urges to pull out one’s hair, affecting approximately 2 percent of the population (Everett et al., 2020). It is important to note that prevalence may be underestimated due to underreporting due to stigma. CBT and behavioural therapy have been used to treat trichotillomania, but not all patients find this treatment helpful or effective. No medications exist to specifically treat trichotillomania, but sometimes SSRIs are used to support behavioural treatment. As such, it is important to look for pharmaceutical solutions.
More recently, newer pharmacotherapies have been discovered. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) decreases cytotoxicity in the brain. Some studies have shown that NAC is useful in treating trichotillomania, while other studies suggest that it does not significantly improve symptoms of the disorder. That being said, more recent case studies show NAC being effective in reducing symptoms of trichotillomania.
“Two patients with TTM were successfully treated with NAC, a 30-year-old and a 14-year-old, both female. The adult and adolescent patients had their hair pulling subside at by 2 months and 2 weeks … [and neither] patient reported any adverse side effects of NAC treatment” (Everett et al., 2020). More research needs to be done to confirm NAC’s efficacy, but these case studies show that NAC has the potential to be a crucial treatment option for those suffering with hair pulling.
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