Tirando cabellos
Question
Nuestra hija de 30 años de edad, con CdLS siempre se ha tirado sus cabellos, pero ella está en medio de un terrible combate con este problema. Ha tirado todo el cabello dejando un area calva en su cabeza. ¿Cómo podemos nosotros y su escuela residencial y ayudarla? Ella había pasado por un largo tiempo sin que el asunto estuviera tan mal, pero estamos muy preocupados por ella ahora.
Answer of our experts
Was Prozac originally prescribed for hair pulling, or is it something new? It is sometimes a useful treatment for trichotillomania, but sometimes it can do the opposite. I am sometimes inclined to use a mild anxiety drug, like Tranxene, instead of Prozac, or if that doesn’t work, Gabatril.
TG (11-30-01)
Response 2
As TG indicates, Prozac is often cited as a treatment for obsessive-compulsive symptoms such as trichotillomania. However, since the hair pulling is a pleasurable response to underlying anxiety, the tendency of Prozac to cause some anxiety can be a problem (it can cause the behavior to increase at first). Also, the hair pulling takes on a "habitual" quality which can persist after the "anxiety" is dealt with. I have tried about everything at one time of another for this disorder and cannot recommend a single "best" treatment. That said, I’d agree with TG that a mild anti-anxiety drug, such as Tranxene or Ativan, can help. The Prozac needs to be evaluated clinically to see if it is helping or hurting the situation. Alternatives with potentially fewer "anxiety" side-effects include Celexa, Luvox, or Paxil.
DS (11-30-01)
