Banish Baldness With A Bracelet

15th May 2014

Trichotillomania is a compulsion disorder that causes a person to uncontrollably pull their hair out. It’s estimated that around 370,000 people in the UK endure the psychological condition, which drives sufferers to pull hair from their scalp, eyebrows or even eyelashes.

The powerful urge to pull is followed by intense emotional relief; however, sufferers are often left with bald patches due to the over-plucking of the hair follicle and experience feelings of guilt, embarrassment or shame as a result.

The first line of treatment for trichotillomania is psychological therapy to determine what causes the impulsion to pull and identify a way to stop the habit. Following this – if hair does not return to normal and the desire to pull has completely subsided – hair restoration surgery can be considered.

In the majority of cases, due to the habit of pulling becoming so deep-rooted, those affected fail to notice they’re doing it at the time. It’s for this reason that the road to recovery is often long and complex.

In order to create a treatment that helps suffers recognise when they are about to pull their hair, researchers at the University of Michigan are experimenting with a new approach.  This involves wearing a watch or bracelet, and a magnetic necklace. As a sufferer raises their hand towards their head, the watch or bangle detects the stronger magnetic signals of the necklace and alerts them of what they’re about to do. Researchers believe that the early results indicate it has the potential to ‘reduce symptoms significantly’.

If the product enables sufferers of trichotillomania to recognise when pulling is about to take place, then alongside traditional therapy and counselling, this bracelet could certainly be a step in the right direction for kicking the habit.