my husband's hair

Hello,

I’m looking for some information to help my husband.  He’s used this board before, and has found it helpful.  So I thought I’d give it a try.

The issue is that my husband has OCD.  (For which he IS being treated.)  And one of the things he’s been obsessing on lately is his hair, or rather, losing it.  He’s seen our physician, who assures him that she sees no sign of hair loss or “miniturization.”

However, my husband has a nervous habit of pulling the hair near the top of his head.  (His hair is rather short, sort of a buzz cut).  Anyway, he’s started to focus on the hairs that he rubs or pulls out.  He focuses on the ones that seem a bit more fine than others.  He says they look like “intermediate” hairs.  (I’m sorry, but I don’t know all of the terminology.  I’m using his words.)  He worries that he sees more of these “finer” hairs come out from the top of his scalp, and so he’s worried that this is a sign of male pattern baldness (despite our doctor visit).

I wonder:  Can you provide me with any talking points I can use with him?  I know the way he thinks, and he needs solid facts that he can make sense of.  A simple, “Well, remember our doctor’s visit…” doesn’t seem to help.  Is there something specific I can say to help him relax?  Something like, “Everyone has finer AND thicker hairs on their head, so don’t focus on the ones you pull out.”  Or, “The very fact that you’re rubbing and pulling that area all the time might be damaging the hair, making some hair finer.  If you stopped pulling, you’ll stop damaging the hair.”

I don’t know.  I’m not an expert, and I really don’t know what I’m talking about.  These are just things I’ve thought about saying to help, but I figured I’d get some professional advice.  Any thoughts on some specific things I can tell me husband?

Thanks,
Shalla-Bal

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

I think you're doing a pretty good job on your own of figuring out what to say.  What you are describing is called tricholllomania, which just means hair-pulling.  If you keep rubbing or pulling the hair, there's going to be a bald spot, though not a permanent one, because once the hair-pulling stops the follicles generally regenerate.  Here is a solid fact you can share:  If he keeps playing with his hair, he will get a bald spot.  If he stops, his hair will grow back to the point it's capable of, at which point the doctor will be able to tell him whether he also has male-pattern hair loss and recommend treatment, if that's relevant.

Good luck.

Dr.  Rockoff