Cognitive behavioral therapy in an adolescent with trichotillomania partially responding to medical treatment

Trichotillomania is a psychiatric disorder characterized by recurrent hair pulling resulting in hair loss. Pharmacological agents and psychotherapy methods have been used in the treatment of trichotillomania. However, controlled studies on the efficacy of these methods in the child and adolescent population are very limited. Since there is no gold standard treatment for trichotillomania, disease management becomes challenging. In this article, we present a 13-year-old girl diagnosed with trichotillomania, who partially responded to medical treatment and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) was added to her treatment. After the addition of CBT, there was a significant improvement in the patient's symptoms, and this improvement continued even though the patient suddenly stopped using the medication during the treatment process. This case demonstrates that an adolescent with trichotillomania who responded partially to medication may have significant improvement in her symptoms with CBT that includes components of habit reversal training.