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A minority of individuals with trichotillomania (hair-pulling disorder) eat the hair they pull.

Repeated hair ingestion can lead to trichobezoars, a rare but serious medical complication.

Symptoms may include stomach pain, nausea, early fullness, or unexplained weight loss.

Evidence-based treatment can address hair pulling, trichophagia, and prevent recurrence.

Parents of children with trichotillomania (hair-pulling disorder) often worry about visible hair loss, teasing at school, or how to help their child stop. But there is a lesser-known complication of trichotillomania that parents and clinicians should also understand: trichobezoars, a serious medical condition that can develop when pulled hair is swallowed repeatedly over time.

Trichobezoars are rare; approximately 30 percent of those with TTM engage in swallowing of the hair and only 1 percent of those individuals develop a trichobezoar that requires surgical extraction. Thus, awareness—not alarm—is key. Understanding what they are and how they develop can help families recognize warning signs and seek care early, if needed.

What Is a Trichobezoar?

A trichobezoar is a mass of hair that accumulates in the stomach after hair has been swallowed (a behavior known as trichophagia).

Human hair cannot be digested. When swallowed repeatedly, strands of hair can collect in........

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