title: Trichotillomania and trichophagia - diagnosis, treatment, prevention. The attempt to establish guidelines of treatment in Poland.
abstract: Trichotillomania is a disorder characterised by inability to control over pulling own hair from various parts of a body resulting in noticeable hair loss. Due to its long-term, progressive course, untreated trichotillomania can lead to disturbances in the functioning of patients and complications which are dangerous to life and health. Due to the ambiguous nature of the symptoms, they often remain unrecognised by clinicians. Most patients are afraid of revealing symptoms and reluctantly seek for professional help. In our opinion, it is necessary to increase the awareness of the disorder of physicians of different specialties to improve the detection, treatment efficacy and to prevent dangerous complications of trichotillomania. This paper summarises the current state of knowledge on the epidemiology, aetiology, clinical presentation, and treatment of trichotillomania. It is also an attempt to create guidelines in all cases of suspected trichotillomania - adapted to Polish conditions. It also highlights the importance of a multidisciplinary treatment as a condition of effectiveness of the therapy and prevention of relapse.
authors.affiliation: Oddział Kliniczny Psychiatrii Samodzielnego Publicznego Dziecięcego Szpitala Klinicznego w Warszawie.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gawłowska-Sawosz
authors.affiliation: Oddział Kliniczny Chirurgii i Urologii Dziecięcej i Pediatrii Samodzielnego Publicznego Dziecięcego Szpitala Klinicznego w Warszawie.
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wolski
authors.affiliation: Klinika Chirurgii i Urologii Dziecięcej WUM.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kamiński
authors.affiliation: Klinika Gastroenterologii i Żywienia Dzieci WUM.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Albrecht
authors.affiliation: Klinika Psychiatrii Wieku Rozwojowego WUM.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wolańczyk
mesh_terms: D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011044:Poland; D011613:Psychotherapy; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D014256:Trichotillomania / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs
keywords: guidelines; trichotillomania