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Hair pulling

Pulling out hair from your scalp, eyebrows, or eyelashes, often during idle or focused moments.

Is hair pulling a bad habit?

It depends on the scale. Absent-mindedly twirling or tugging hair now and then is harmless. But repeatedly pulling hair out (especially if it leaves thin patches, feels impossible to stop, or causes distress) may be more than a habit. That pattern is called trichotillomania, a body-focused repetitive behavior, and the honest answer is that it responds to treatment like habit-reversal training, not to willpower or being 'more disciplined'.

How common is hair pulling?

~1–2 in 100people share this habit, per the research estimate. Each dot is one person.

1–2% of people. Trichotillomania affects an estimated 1–2% of the population, far more common than most sufferers assume. Source: TLC Foundation for BFRBs

In US search data, about 50 searches a month ask about hair pulling as a habit problem.

Do you have the hair pulling habit?

Why hair pulling works against you

◆Repeated pulling leaves visible thinning or bald patches that can take months to fill back in.
◆Long-term pulling can damage follicles, so regrowth may come in slower or with a different texture.
◆The relief–regret cycle feeds on itself: distress about the hair loss becomes a trigger for more pulling.
◆Hiding patches with hairstyles, makeup, or hats adds a daily layer of stress and self-monitoring.

How to break it

1
Learn your pulling pattern
Most pulling happens in predictable settings (studying, scrolling in bed, driving, watching TV) and often starts with searching for a hair that feels 'different'. Track when, where, and which hand for a few days so you know exactly which moments to target.
2
Put barriers between hand and hair
In your high-risk settings, wear a hat, headband, or hood, tie hair back tightly, or put bandages or finger cots on your pulling fingers. The point is to make pulling awkward enough that you notice it starting.
3
Give your hands something better
Keep a competing outlet in every trigger zone: squeeze putty at your desk, a textured fidget on the couch, something tactile in the car. When the urge rises, clench your fists or work the fidget for a minute until it fades.
4
Change the position that enables it
Pulling usually needs a hand idling near your head. Try rules like 'both hands on the wheel', 'phone held in both hands', or sitting with elbows on the desk: small posture changes that keep hands below shoulder level in risky moments.
5
Drop the shame, keep the data
Slips are part of recovery, and shame is fuel for the habit, not a brake. Track pull-free days or urge-surfed moments in a habit tracker and treat every noticed urge as a win, because noticing is the skill you're building.
6
Get the right kind of help
If pulling is leaving patches or causing real distress, see a therapist who offers habit-reversal training (HRT). It's the best-supported treatment for trichotillomania. This is a recognized condition, not a discipline problem, and clinicians who treat it will not be shocked by anything you tell them.

Do this instead

When your hand drifts toward your hair, redirect it to a fidget or clench your fist for sixty seconds until the urge passes.

Timeline: Urges usually get easier to ride out within a few weeks of consistent practice, but visible regrowth and lasting change typically take months. Longer-standing pulling often goes faster with a therapist's help.

Common questions

Is hair pulling always trichotillomania?+

No. Casual twirling or occasional tugging is just a fidget. Trichotillomania involves repeated pulling that causes noticeable hair loss or distress, plus a real struggle to stop. If that describes you, a therapist familiar with body-focused repetitive behaviors can help.

Will pulled hair grow back?+

Usually yes. Most hair regrows once pulling stops, though it can take months and may initially come back finer or a different texture. Very long-term pulling can damage follicles, which is one more reason to start working on it now rather than later.

Is hair pulling caused by anxiety?+

Stress and anxiety are common triggers, but so are boredom and deep focus. Many people pull most while studying or watching TV, not during panic. It's best understood as a self-regulation loop the brain has learned, which is why replacing the routine works better than just trying to relax.

How do I stop pulling my hair out?+

Combine barriers (hats, headbands, finger bandages) with a competing response (fists, fidgets) in your specific trigger situations, and track your progress kindly. If pulling is causing hair loss or distress, habit-reversal training with a therapist is the most effective route.

Communities that help

Peer support measurably improves quit rates. These unofficial communities are well-moderated places to not do this alone:

r/trichotillomania ↗
The main peer community for hair pulling

Breaking a habit sticks when you track the replacement.

Decide what you'll do instead of hair pulling, then track it daily. A visible streak turns one good decision into a system.

Start tracking free on HabitTracker.io →

Written by Bernard Zitzer, builder of tools for habit change, including HabitTracker.io, and host of the Doism community. More about his work and habit content at bernardzitzer.com. About this site & methodology →