Being a parent of a child with hair pulling or skin picking disorder, or related behaviors, can be frightening and confusing. Most people have never heard of “trichotillomania” and skin picking, to many, sounds like self-harm. For most parents, the idea of pulling out one’s own hair or compulsively skin picking sounds bizarre.

The fact is, these behaviors, part of a larger body of disorders referred to as Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs) are quite common. Two out of 50 people suffer from hair pulling disorder, and the number of those with skin picking disorder is likely even higher.

You are already on the right track to helping your child: Find related information here or on TLC’s website!

Become educated about hair pulling and skin picking: Read all you can about trich, join our online support forum, and begin to understand the nature of this disorder. There are many things you can start doing right now that will make a difference for your child.

You will find a wealth of resources on this website, including treatment overviews, books and videos, online discussion groups, and helpful advice about finding a therapist or starting a support group. We hope you will join us at one of the local events we hold all across the country – they are a great way to meet other families coping with these problems.

Thank You to the Trichotillomania Learning Center (TLC) – www.trich.org