I’m Skye and I have Trichotillomania. I am 15 years old.

My trich started in 7th grade. I had just started a new school and had a lot of anxiety. My mom pointed out that I was pulling my eyelashes and we were confused as to why I was doing this. My mom researched hair pulling and we learned the term trichotillomania. Wow. It had a name.

My mom mentioned she pulled out her hair throughout her twenties, proving this may be genetic.

I hid my trich when I started high school. I would draw on my eyebrows every single day for school. My mom would tell me, “they look unnatural” but I was in denial.

It’s hard having a disorder that people can see. Since 7th grade, I’ve been asked so many times, “What's wrong with your eyebrows?” and “Why are your eyelashes missing?” I used to make up excuses like, “When I was using my eyelash curler my eyelashes got stuck and they got pulled out.” I was hiding my disorder.

I started seeing a therapist who specializes in trichotillomania, which has been a huge help. Thanks to all the love and support from my family and friends I am definitely improving. I’ve stopped doing my eyebrows every morning. I decided instead to just rock my trich. Things began to change. Now I say, “I have trichotillomania.” I have to explain what it is, of course, but no one really seems to mind. “Oh. Okay,” they say and we move on. It’s relieving to own up to my trichotillomania and know I don't need to lie. I am okay with that part of myself and so are my friends and family.

I have tried to stop pulling for the last three years but it hasn't ever fully stopped. My top three tricks to curb the pulling are:

1.    Get Acrylic Nails. I have tried to go without acrylic nails a couple times but every time I don't have them, I tend to pull more.

2.    Put Chapstick on your eyebrows. This makes it harder to grasp the hair, giving you time to make another decision. 

3.    Put Band-Aids on your fingertips. This discreet technique stops me from pulling immediately.

My hope is that kids/teens with trichotillomania have supportive people in their lives.

Parents, please support your child with trich. They are suffering and they need you. They may not even know what they’re doing and that can feel scary. I felt less alone once I knew it had a name, thanks to my mom’s research. I wish parents would figure out what triggers their child’s pulling, as this could reduce future urges by avoiding or preparing for triggering situations. 

Kids should be able to open up to their parents about what’s going on in their life without feeling ashamed. Parents can be supportive by talking to their kids about it or getting them professional help to manage their trichotillomania. Don’t ignore or punish them for it. Ignoring it would have been the worst thing my mom could have done. I would have felt ashamed and alone.

I hope you know that you’re not alone. We’re all in this together.