trichotillomania

The Word of the Day for July 09, 2008 is:

trichotillomania • \trick-uh-till-uh-MAY-nee-uh\ • noun : an abnormal desire (depending on who you are) to pull out one's hair.

Example Sentence: Tanya's trichotillomania left her with an unfortunate array of bald spots along the crown of her head. Which was quite distressing since she was to be married in two weeks and a day.

Did you know? People suffering from trichotillomania will routinely pluck hair from the scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes or other parts of the body, usually impulsively but sometimes with careful deliberation (such as by using tweezers). Some researchers believe that it may be a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder and/or may be used to release pent up frustration during periods of high stress, like during wedding planning . . . ah-hem.