Eyelashes, Eyelashless

i am 21 and have been pullling eyelashes and eyebrows since i was 7. i have my good days and i have my bad days. tonight was not such a good night after weariing make up all day which is a huge accomplishment when my eyelashes have grown back enough to do so i started up where i couldnt stop now i cnt wear make up for a while ;( i can cry and scream with the fustration and dissapointment i have in myself. i do alot of research online but dont find much for eyelash pulling. i get scared i will nevr grow my lashes back. im going to start seeing a therapist and see how things go.

Try the Trich Stop Kit - seriously - it has done wonders for me. I loved all of the exercises, but what was great was the oil that comes with the kit. It stopped that nagging, irritating urge and helped me stop pulling and starting just rubbing the oil in instead. It was a gradual thing (which is best really, better than trying to go cold turkey) have been pull free for weeks now.I saw an interview about the person who created it on another blog and she sounded just like me. Anyway, if it does help, it is possible to stop - I have, even after 20 years of pulling! It's worth giving it a go...Good luck to all my fellow trichsters.

its crazy because i see a lot of people on here say how they have seen others pulling, or known people. But ive never, ever seen someone without eyelashes or pulling there hair like I do. :/ i wish there was someone here who could relate

I do the exact same thing, I have thought about therapy for a long time but always been too scared to go as I feel they wont know what im talking about, your story is an inspiration. thankyou : )

I started pulling my eyelashes when I was 10. My parents were missionaries and I lived at a boarding school away from them from ages 9 - 14. I saw them every 3 months or so. I started pulling after a specific incident. I was playing volleyball with a group of friends and my dorm mother. She always had dirty fingernails. I got something in my eyes so she tried to help get it out. Once it was out, she told me it was an eyelash. After that, I started gently tugging my lashes to make sure there were no 'loose' ones that would fall in my eyes. I have naturally long lashes so when I have a bald spot, it's pretty obvious. When my parents saw me with out lashes, they were shocked and horrified. After that, any time I pulled and had bald spots, my mom would scold me and tell me how ugly i looked. hurtful. I have learned how to apply my makeup in such a way that most people I encounter have no idea.

After I got married, I did some research online and learned about trichotillomania. I found a lot of great tips, useful information, why one might do this. I sent it all to my whole family. Now they are much more understanding.

Now I am 39 years old. Last week I pulled all the lashes off the top lid on one side. I am no longer embarrassed of how I look without lashes, but the feelings of shame, guilt, resentment toward myself is strongest right after I realize what I've done. It is what it is. I have spent years trying to stop, tried different things to keep my hands busy but I just like how it feels to pull. I've accepted that. I don't like how I look after I pull, but i'm not embarrassed to go without makeup either.

It helps if i can figure out what i am stressed about before trich takes over. If i can figure that out, i'll be able to control my urges. Otherwise, it's when i realized my thumb fingernail has left an imprint in my finger from gripping a lash to pull, that i know what I've been doing. After so many years of pulling, i'm not sure i'll ever be able to completely stop but i do hope that as i grow in a relationship with God, be more aware of my stressors, keep trying to stay busy in healthy things, I'll be able to do this less often.

I am hoping to have all my eyelashes by the end of July when my whole family is reuniting for my parents anniversary. We will be taking a family picture then. And you know, no matter how good a job you do at hiding your bald spots in real life, they show up in pictures. So that's my story. that's my goal for now.

I'm about to turn 15 & started to pull my eyelashes since I was six or seven . I've never seen someone else without eyelashes , I've always felt alone , or some type of freak . I compare myself to other girls who can wear makeup & could go makeup shopping . I hate when people ask me why I don't have eyelashes . In six months I'm having a quincera &im trying to let my eyelashes grow , but everyday , I have the erg to just pull one or two out. I feel less lonely now that I understand what my problem is , & to know I'm not the only one who has it .

gr8 story, actually i loved it and i wish god help u stop it at all ,i know how hard it is to be different but its really nice to find people around u who can support u and tell u its oky , my story is like urs but mine is even worth cause i do pull my head hair , but i really wish u happiness :)

I'm grateful to the Internet for allowing me to share my own experience. I didn't even know that it was a condition until just now. I'm 35, a male and I've been pulling my eyelashes, eyebrows and the hair from my head for as long as I can recall.

Growing up, it was very embarrassing going to school and the kids poking fun at me for having no eyelash. Even my relatives just made fun of me. But I just could not resist the urge then and even now I have lapses of depression where I still pull my hair, eyelash or eyebrow. One thing that I have not heard anyone saying is that they pull the hair until they get a follicle (that white part at the hair end) and then pull it off with their teeth. That's what I do.

Since becoming an adult I'd say around 15 years ago, I have learned to identify that I tend to want to 'pluck' my hair when I'm either by myself for an extended period of time or am depressed. So I tried disciplining myself to do something else when I find myself wanting to 'pull out my hair'. It is difficult but I am finally getting some control over it. I no longer have bare eyelashes or bald spots.

I also think it's in large part to how one think of themselves, I don't know about the rest of you but I am extremely shy, I think it may also stem from low self esteem and our self image. So I do things to build my confidence in myself and that has helped me battle this disorder immensely.

Thank you all for sharing your experiences.

You don't know how much this article has helped, I'm 18 and have been picking my eyelashes out since I was 7. When I was younger IDE pick every one out but now it's just a couple a night, however today I picked out quite a few and I hate myself for it and I'm in tears. I always say this is the last time but I just can't have eyelashes out of place. Does anyone have any advice on how to stop, I'm going to see a doctor about it because I'm scared one day they'll never grow back

It seams we all started pulling by the age of 10+. I'm a boy currently 16 and have to wear glasses everyday I first really started to pick when my eye lashes started to scrape the glass of my glasses witch was very irritating for my eyes. My eyelashes have been okay untill a few days ago I started looking for info on why I was doing it. And I have found out that my eyelash picking problem was due to stress. It was a pain to find treatments lot of sources say "keep your hands busy" or "wear glasses" well I can say I wear glasses coz I do and I just end up picking around them. I try to keep my hands busy but I mainly pick my eyelashes at night or while I'm watching a film. I say having Trichotillomania really puts my confidence down when people notice and speek about it out loud. My mates noticed my eyes they were like all swollen but they thought it was from boxing. I don't even do boxing. Currently it is 01:33am and I am fighting for my eyelashes to grow back.

Thankyou for sharing. I was about 8yo when I started pulling out eyelashes..they were really long and everyone always commented on them. Then my mum walked out on my dad and when he got with my step mum with her 3 kids 12mths later, i was depressed.

It started off as a cry for help,by the time i got to highschool 13yo I started pulling my eyebrow hairs as well..it became a coping mechanism for stress.

To hide the gaps,i would steal money off my parents to buy eyeliner and eyebrow pencils.

Thru 17-30yo i had violent relationships, 4 kids and had no eyelashes or eyebrows. completly drawn on.

Im 36 and still cant stop..I dont even know im doing it sometimes..its always at night so no one sees.

Im getting married in Dec. my.fiance doesnt know. Im so desperate to stop im trying hypnotherapy. Counselling and anti depressants have never worked. Ive held a deepseated anger towsrds my parents for not getting help for me as a child. instead they would humiliate me in front of family and friendd.

I just want to look beautiful for my wedding. Im.scared that one day my hairs will stop growing back. Everyone just thinks my children got thier beautiful thick eyelashes from thier Dad..but I know..they got it from me. Im grateful my kids dont have this OCD..life without swimming underwater incase ur makeup washes off...drawing your eyes and eyebrows on everyday...humiliation of asking medical staff permission to keep make up on during surgery...it has ruined my life. Ive felt so alone all these years.

I'm glad I'm not alone in this battle. Although in a way, I wish no one had to endure it. I've been pulling my eyelashes out since at least the age of ten that I can remember. I'll pull my eyebrows very thin as well. Although I'm glad i never pulled my hair on my head out, I do excessively adn compulsively twirl my hair. The first time I can remember anyone around me noticing the loss of eyelashes was age 11 at the mall with my bff at that time. She said something to me that I had a huge patch of missing eyelashes as wide as my finger. I never knew how I started or really ever noticed myself doing it. In the past as an adult I have had my older sister, who has gorgeous eyelashes, say things to me about it, like "just stop it and yours can look like mine, too." (note: she did this at a mary kay party with all my family and friends there) I cried and tried to explain to her that it's just not as simple as stopping it. Like all the people that have posted before me, you get that sensational feeling after pulling one out that they don't understand. After staring in the mirror for a while and pulling a few out, I realize what I'm doing and try and stop, but not after oulling one more out to make it look even, or better. I noticed that I would pull those eyelashes out that just weren't straight and maybe leaning to one side... Trying for perfection? I don't know, but I never achieve it. I only achieve no eyelashes which I feel makes me look even uglier. I never really talked to anyone about it. When people do ask and I say "I pull them out, many times with tweezers" they just don't get it. Heck I don't even get it! As a child I would sit in the bathroom and stare at my eyes until I started doing it again. Not sure if it's related, but I would mess with the inner protective film on your lower eyelid and have been known to completely pull it off and have red puffy eyes. My mom would just give me a cold compact to put on my eyes. She never thought it was anything serious. She never thought anything wrong with us kids was much to warrant going t the dr. When I got married in 2010, I had to try so hard not to pull my eyelashes out because I wanted nice ones without having to wear fake eyelashes for my wedding. It has always bothered my husband. He used to say stuff to me all the time, but stopped for a while, until yesterday when he say how thin my eyebrows were and basically told me I was looking ugly because of it. He threw my tweezers away right then and there. Now only if he could throw my hands away, too because most of the time I just sit there pulling my eyebrow hairs or lashes out with my hands while I'm doing something else. I've tried to stop so many times and I'll do great for a few days, then I realize I am right back in front if the mirror. If I go to the bathroom ten times a day, I'm in front of that mirror ten times plucking. My biggest fear is that the lashes won't grow back one day. And mot because I wouldn't have anything to pluck anymore, I would still look ugly!!! It hurt worse than anything to have my husband say something like that to me.

..."I love the feeling, the little pluck, although it hurts, and sometimes I have pulled a few before I actually notice that I am doing it... I usually run to some mirror to do some damage control."...



This quote explains the way I feel. I'm 42 years old and have been pulling out my eyelashes for 20 years. I didn't pull during grade school but when I got into college. It's is full blown habit that I'm able to control for months at a time but I always relapse. There are times when I feel a "sore" lash that seems like it wants to come out/shed. I'll pull it out then that triggers more pulling. It makes me SUPER insecure about my appearance. I've gotten into happen to wearing fake lashes to important events but using Latisse helps a great deal. The new lashes grow in much faster, thicker, longer so that is my incentive to not pull. My vanity and being so happy and secure with myself when I do have full lashes. Ugh... I'm so over this though... will power is sometimes just not enough. When I get into a rhythm of pulling, there is not stopping me.

I'm 17 and from what i remember i have always been picking my eyelashes out since probably the 4th grade. I remember I would lay in bed and pick cause I don't even know why I liked the feeling of pulling them out and I'd hold it to the light to see my eyelash. It's not bad and i dont do it much but I recently have been starting it again and I have bald spots on my eyelids I want to stop this I just don't know how to stop. I get urges when im stressed or even just bored. Help?

That's so funny you say that. I've struggled with trich since I was in 2nd grade...and I'm 23 now. I did that exact same thing in high school with my eyelash under the microscope. I also can relate very much so with when you wear makeup, you want to pull them out. I know in my case, that only happens if I'm wearing too much mascara so it clumps or if I leave it on overnight, the mascara will harden and it almost feels like the eyelash is loosening around the "pore" and so I pull it out. However, I found a mascara that has really worked for me - it's light enough that it doesn't clump at all and it actually promotes healthy eyelash growth. It's called "Lucious Growth" and I think it's by either Maybelline or Loreal. It should be in a green tube. Just take it off at night. Also, to help with the bald spots that oftentime occurs after a session of pulling, I use liquid eyeliner underneath my eyelid, not on top, just on the bald spot so then that spot is dark, along with the rest of my eyelashes and it evens out rather than pulling out the rest. I know all the tricks for being girly and dealing with trich ;) we're all in this together

I am 28 years old and I started pulling out my eyelashes at age 10. When I was around 20 years old I stared pulling my eyebrows out. I have never gotton help for it because it does not bother me that I do it. Im not ashamed and I don't wear fake eyelashes or color in my eyebrows.I hate sometimes that i cant wear eyeliner. I mean I could but it don't look right with my bald eyes. When people say something to me about it I tell them its my eyes and I will pull them if I want to. I love to pull with tweezers. I have never poked myself in the eye or got an eye infection.I think over the Yeats I have gotten so bad that if someone talks to me and they have bushy eyebrows or really long ones im sitting their the whole time thinking if I could just pull thoes eyebrows out. I understand what others are going through.

I've been pulling my eye lashes and eyebrows since I was around 8 years old. I'm 25 now and currently just pulled the last few I had, because I reached up and felt that they were uneven and also spaces.



I really hate how I feel that I'm not in control of this disorder. I hate feeling like I'm lying and hiding from people with make up. I hate that every morning I have to take extra time to apply make up and make sure my eye brows are even. I hate that I can't go swimming under water or drive into a pool without being aware that my false eyebrows and eyelashes could wash off at anytime. I hate that I can't openly talk about this issue with people

without feeling judged. I hate seeing mascara ads. :(



I'm grateful for the Internet and everyone who shares their story. It really helps to not feel so alone.

<3

I always thought I was the only one who did this and I never thought it was an actual disease! I started pulling out my eyelashes when I was 12.. I'm 17 now. Whenever my mom notices my lashes are getting less she yells at me and sometimes punishes me.. She thinks it's the only way I'll stop. Whenever I do it I always make a vow that this will be the last time and that I'll never touch my eyelashes and eyebrows again, but It never works and I continue. Especially when I'm bored or studying or reading a book. I have beautiful blue eyes but without lashes they're not so beautiful anymore. I usually wear eyeliner so the bald parts don't show but It still doesn't look as nice. I just want to stop this habit and I don't know how to :s

I have this problem too,my parents get so pissed at me for it,made a promise with my dad to stop,idk how,he said if I start plucking again,he'll take everything away

I feel so much better knowing I'm not the only one in the world that have trich. I don't remember when the pulling started. All I know is Im 33 yrs old and still pulling. I'm going to get help soon I even have the urge to pull my son eye lashes. That's how I know I really need help. I'm just so shame of myself.

I have been pulling out my eyelashes since I was 12 and pulling my head hair since I was 35. I am now 51. As a child, my parents called me a freak! I didn't find out about the condition until I was in my 40's, I really thought I was the only person who did it. I only wish I had been given some help as a child as it completely ruined my school life. I am a perfectionist and a high achiever. I have suffered with stress and depression on and off all my life. My parents don't know that I still do it, I am very clever at covering it up. My husband knows about it and so does my daughter. I am open and comfortable enough to 'pull' in their presence. If I feel a stubbly or coarse hair, I have to pull it out. I inspect it and touch the sharp end to my lips. If a hair is really coarse and thick, I sometimes save it. I also pull hair from one nostril, I over pluck my eye brows and also pull any hairs from moles etc. I have never had any help. After reading these posts, I have decided to seek some help, it is never too late!

i'm just 12 and I had this problem when I was in 1st grade, but then I maneged to stop. Then when I went into 6th grade, i remember how i used to do this and i started again... it's been 2 years and i haven't been able to stop since i pulled out that single one eyelash. i'm in seventh grade now and i am seeing a professional physiatrist... but still. only my best friend knows, but i'm thinking of telling more people because i think it willl make me feel better. what do you guys think?

ever since i was in middle school i saw a friend of mine pulling her lashes, then i tried to see how many i could pull out, and i would keep them cuz they were pretty, then i always wondered how they would look like under a microscope. and i would pull them all the time at night and then scream at myself in the morning, my mom beat me for it which made it worse, i never gone all the way to pull them all out, but im 18 now and i still find myself doing it, mostly after i finish crying and they itch. and waring mascara only makes me want to pull them more. I take off my mascara with my fingers, my eyeleashes are strong so they dont come off, but it helps me to get the satisfaction of pulling off the hard mascara instead of my eye lashes.

at first it started to pull my hair out in elemenary school, but that stoped quickly, i have never seen a therapist about it before, but ever since i was 15 and plucked my eye brows i started plucking the hairs on my leggs as well, i dont know if its bad, but i cant help myself, it dosnt even hurt anymore, it used to the first year but it helped me to get my mind of pulling my hair.

I started pulling out my eyelashes when I was 9 years old. I think it was the result of stress from having severe eczema covering both arms from wrist to elbow. Imagine wearing a sweater everyday in Miami where it was always 80-90 degrees. Anyway, I made excuses for not having eyelashes but for the most part no one commented on it enough. I didn't find out that other people had this same habit until I was 21. I was flipping through a magazine and saw an article. I felt so relieved that someone else in the world did this besides me. I am now 36 and I have the eyelash plucking somewhat under control. I can go months without pulling them...the unfortunate part is, now that I grow facial hairs, my plucking has transferred to my face and I have managed to damage a large portion of my skin on my neck and chin area. I have given away my magnifying mirror, tweezers, and asked for my my friends help in keeping me from continuing this habit. It is annoying and the dark spots on my face are embarrassing. I look forward to the day when I can say I don't pluck anymore. Until then, I will keep trying to stop. Thanks everyone for sharing your stories! They really help!

I am 22 years old and have been pulling sense i was about 10. My sister and brother had it too, which almost made it seem genetic. Anyway, I'm so embarssed by it, I wear false lashes. I have had more controll over it lately. And really thats just because I'm getting married in April and my Fiance dosen't even no about my disorder. i want to be able to swim in the ocean with him on our honey moon and not have to worry about wearing false lashes and not being able to go under water because my lashes will fall off, I'm embaressed and scared to tell him. I'm Hoping to have it completely under controll buy the time we get married. I feel like him not knowing is a motivation to stop, so i don't have to go through that humiliation. I have somehow managed to hide it from him for almost 2 years, how the heck am i suppose to tell him about this now???

I think i have the disorder.I am 14 just got into high school. My problem is lashes like you guys/girls I have been pulling them for almost a year now...Now that i have read all this stuff i am relateing it all like the first time i can think of was in 3rd grade i used to pull hairs off the top of my head because the end would like fasinate me or something. Then i started pulling arm and knee hairs that look funny at the part the comes from the skin.Then around...4th-6th grade i pulled my lashes really bad, but then i stoped.I thought i was threw I all so picked up another really bad...what i think is a habit,reading all of these disorders im not sure anymore, i started poping my neck because i saw a girl i had a crush on poping her neck and i havent been able to stop since...to be honest i think that is a bigger problem because that can seriously affect my neck later in life.Now it doesnt nearly pop as much but i try to pop it almost every minute.I am getting off subject about last year around november i noticed a little eyelash that was growing and i picked it and it all went down hill from there.I dont want to pick the grown ones i only want to small new growing ones but in the process i grab the grown ones trying to get the small ones.Like the article says i get a relief feeling when i pick the one i am trying to get.I am under a lot of stress with homework and test and trying to put football all in it, i have this problem,which thank the lord none of my friends have noticed or they have noticed they just havent said anything,that reminds me this summer at a family reunion my aunt noticed my lashes and she blabbed a little bit...after that i stop picking for a while a bunch have grew in but then i started picking again. I dont have many ways to relieve stress i mean i small i love video games and stuff which is a MAJOR stress reliever for me,but on Sept. 7 if my eyelashes arent grown back, which they are no where close to being, my dad will take my video games:( I will almost have nothing i am some what of a loner but i have great and long time friends...I dont know what to do i just read about this disorder now and i havent told my parents about it which may explain what is going on.Basicaly the only hairs on my body i dont pick are my eyebrows my head and my armpits, which i dont really have hair there yet.Please if anybody is reading this please give me some advice on what to do.The urjes are so so so great i cant stop.I am not even sure i have this disorder but it sure sounds like it.

I think i have the disorder.I am 14 just got into high school. My problem is lashes like you guys/girls I have been pulling them for almost a year now...Now that i have read all this stuff i am relateing it all like the first time i can think of was in 3rd grade i used to pull hairs off the top of my head because the end would like fasinate me or something. Then i started pulling arm and knee hairs that look funny at the part the comes from the skin.Then around...4th-6th grade i pulled my lashes really bad, but then i stoped.I thought i was threw I all so picked up another really bad...what i think is a habit,reading all of these disorders im not sure anymore, i started poping my neck because i saw a girl i had a crush on poping her neck and i havent been able to stop since...to be honest i think that is a bigger problem because that can seriously affect my neck later in life.Now it doesnt nearly pop as much but i try to pop it almost every minute.I am getting off subject about last year around november i noticed a little eyelash that was growing and i picked it and it all went down hill from there.I dont want to pick the grown ones i only want to small new growing ones but in the process i grab the grown ones trying to get the small ones.Like the article says i get a relief feeling when i pick the one i am trying to get.I am under a lot of stress with homework and test and trying to put football all in it, i have this problem,which thank the lord none of my friends have noticed or they have noticed they just havent said anything,that reminds me this summer at a family reunion my aunt noticed my lashes and she blabbed a little bit...after that i stop picking for a while a bunch have grew in but then i started picking again. I dont have many ways to relieve stress i mean i small i love video games and stuff which is a MAJOR stress reliever for me,but on Sept. 7 if my eyelashes arent grown back, which they are no where close to being, my dad will take my video games:( I will almost have nothing i am some what of a loner but i have great and long time friends...I dont know what to do i just read about this disorder now and i havent told my parents about it which may explain what is going on.Basicaly the only hairs on my body i dont pick are my eyebrows my head and my armpits, which i dont really have hair there yet.Please if anybody is reading this please give me some advice on what to do.The urjes are so so so great i cant stop.I am not even sure i have this disorder but it sure sounds like it.

I have been pulling my eyelashes and hair out since about age 9. I was taken toa dermatologist who diagnosed me with an allergy to my dog, which was immediately given away. My first bald spot was behind my right ear making it impossible to wear a pony tail, which was my regular hairdo. Friends would ask me about my eyelashes and I would tell them that they were so long and rubbed on my glasses making them fall out. I tried glue on false lashes but never could get them to stay on or look even. Thank goodness my bald spot moved to the very tip top of my head and I found a more attractive hairdo to cover it. I am now 57 and the entire top of my head is bald like a bald man. No matter how bald it is and so ugly I still have the urge to pull any new hair that sprouts. At one time as a teen my mother would actually help me by tweezing any such hair that had that pressure/pain feeling and would comment on the difference of the feel of such hairs - stiffness. I am enduring a lot of stress as I have total renal failure and hope to receive a kidney transplant.

Thank you for this I always thought I was alone but I'm kinda happy that there's other people out there who are just like me! I started pulling my eyelashes out when I was 7 in 1st grade. I started out pulling just alittle and made bald spots appear on my eyelids , my mom got mad and told me to stop doing but whenever my family fights or when I failed a test or when I do something stupid I ALWAYS start pulling. I stop for a few months and I thought I was over it but then something bad happen at school and I started pulling again until my eyelashes where completely gone. My family espeacily my mom doesn't understand my condition and gets mad at me sometimes. I want her to understand but it's hard

I have been pulling my eyebrows and eyelashes out since I was 12. Im 21 now and its still going strong. My mom wuld get mad at me for doin it and she wuld even put me on punishment. Then after a while she noticed I culdn help myself. I thot I was the only person who wuld do this. If I feel on my eyelashes and eyebrows and they hurt I jus start pulling. To me thts the best pleasurable feeling and I jus keep doing it. Its like the pain feels good if tht makes sense. I haven't gotten help at all and honestly I think I will b doing this for the rest of my life. Sad but true. I jus don't see myself stopping. There are times when I dont pluck the hairs out for a couple weeks. I've read all these stories and im glad im not the only 1 doing this.