50 Ways to Stop Pulling Your Hair

If you are looking for tips on how to manage your trichotillomania, you’ve come to the right place. Many of the following tips have helped me achieve my 9-weeks pull-free. While it can be challenging, you too can take the steps to stop hair pulling.  

Methods to Stop Hair Pulling

• ‍Wear a bandana to bed. 

• Reward yourself after several days (or hours) of being pull free.

• Be patient with yourself.

• Join a support group. 

• Talk to another person with hair pulling.

• Wet down your hair. This will make it really hard to pull out your hair since it will be slippery.

• Stimulate your senses. Many of us that pull like the sensation that comes with it. Instead of pulling, do other things to stimulate thes,e such as washing your hair, brushing your lips on dental floss or string (if you rub the hair on your lips), and massaging your scalp.

• Avoid caffeine right before bed. Often, bedtime is a time when a lot of people pull. By using caffeine, you keep yourself up longer, and it heightens anxiety.

• Buy a fidget toy.

• Find other things to do with your hands, such as knitting, crocheting, or cross stitch. 

• Wear a hoodie to bed as a barrier to pulling. 

• Go see a psychologist who performs cognitive behavioral therapy

• Try hypnotherapy 

• Make small, reasonable goals, such as "I will not pull for the next three hours." Then, keep increasing your time.

• Brush your hair instead of pulling

• If you pull some hair, do not beat yourself up about it. Just try again.

• Use the saying, "Every hair belongs on my head," and repeat this over and over until the urge to pull ceases.

• Make yourself busy. Too much downtime can be dangerous.

• Read everything you can on the internet about trichotillomania and the treatment plans to deal with it.

• Watch shows and documentaries about trichotillomania to learn new techniques.

• Wear perfume on your hands so that you will realize when your hand is going up to pull out your hair.

• Name the hairs you want to pull out. It sounds silly, but for some, it works.

• Spend less time in the areas of your house that you pull in.

• Keep a journal of your feelings.

• Find a piece of hair lying around your house and stare at it daily. For many people, the sight of hair can trigger hair pulling. By staring at a piece of hair every day, you are exposing yourself to the anxiety that follows. This will eventually cause the anxiety to lessen.

• Also, read textbooks about the anatomy of hair.

• Play with silly putty 

• Wear a wig the entire day until you go to bed. Then, put on a bandana. ( Only use this the first two weeks or so, then trust yourself enough to take it off)

• Take good care of your hair. Appreciating your hair will give you the courage to grow more. This means you should brush your hair daily, wash it at least once a day if possible, and respect that it belongs on your head.

• Put your tweezers in a cabinet until you need them for grooming, not trichotillomania. If you use tweezers a lot, you may need to throw them out and buy new ones only when you have your Trichotillomania under control. You might also try freezing your tweezers in a bag of ice.

• Place lotion or gel on your hands so it's hard to grasp the hair you want to pull.

• Place notes that say "NO" or inspirational sayings about stopping hair pulling in places where you normally pull.

• Wear a rubber band around your wrist to snap every time you want to pull.

• Wear a bead bracelet to fidget with.

• Lift weights. Your arms will be too tired to want to pull.

• Pet an animal. Sometimes, just running your hands through a pet's fur can stimulate the same sensation that you need in order to ease anxiety.

• Meditate. Practice Mindfulness.

• Take pictures of your bald spots and post them where you usually pull. When seeing these pictures, you will not want to pull since bald spots are frightening.

• Tell your friends and family to tell you to stop if they see you pulling.

• Spread the word about Trichotillomania. Sometimes, telling other people about our condition helps us want to change it.

‍Methods that Helped Me the Most

• Make a sticker chart. Add a sticker for every day that you go without pulling. Hang this sticker chart in the room where you pull the most.

• Learn what your body needs instead of pulling. Is your body tired, hungry, sleepy, excited, etc? Then, tell yourself out loud what you need and go do it.

• Look at your hair in the mirror every day with your hands behind your back. Stare into the mirror until the anxiety to pull has lessened. This is called exposure therapy and it does work! 

• Look in the mirror every day to see how much it's grown. Be proud of your hard work. 

• Have a positive attitude

• Help others, which in turn will help you.

• Take a long bath to ease the anxiety.

• Imagine your life without trichotillomania and with hair.

• Last but not least, learn to love yourself. Only then can you start to heal. 

Conclusion

While challenging, it is possible to stop hair pulling. By staying busy, receiving support, and having faith in yourself, you can manage your symptoms and reduce stress. Good luck!

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