Young Hair Puller Donates Hair
This is Sophia.
She is 12 years old and has been diagnosed with trichotillomania (trich). Her trich started when she was 10. She goes to therapy which helps a lot and she uses gloves and tools like “squishies” and other fidget toys to keep her hands busy.
Sophia says, “At school, whenever there’s a project that involves researching and presenting to the class, I always choose Trichotillomania as my subject. Some kids actually seem fascinated and ask questions and I’m happy to answer because I want more people to know about Trichotillomania. I wish people knew trich is very hard to control but it can be managed with help and support.”
She is a lash and brow puller, but she did not dwell on her own loss and decided she wanted to help others instead. When Sophia realized how long her head hair was, she bravely decided to donate hers, stating, “There’s probably someone who needs it more than I do!”
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Sophia, 12 and her mom.
Her mom, Yvonne (above), says, “Sophia came up with the idea of donating her hair when she saw how long her hair was. She has donated in the past to Locks of Love, but this time she chose an organization called Children With Hair Loss because their mission includes helping kids with trichotillomania in addition to kids with alopecia from cancer.”
Yvonne adds, “It’s tough as a mom. At first, I didn’t understand why she just couldn’t stop pulling her lashes and brows. I thought she was self-harming and I blamed myself. I travel for work, so I thought she was crying for help because I wasn’t always around. It took a while to learn and understand that it is not something I can blame anyone for. The TLC/BFRB foundation has been tremendous help in educating us.”
“We tried a couple therapists and finally found someone who is a good fit. Someone who is able to help Sophia learn about her condition and empower her to take charge of it.”
