Read the latest articles from the UK experts in eyelash care
Mylash are the UK experts in eye care and beauty. For almost two decades, we’ve helped people to grow their lashes with Mylash Growth Treatment, the only clinically proven growth treatments.
Mylash was founded by Dr. Tom Walker, an expect in lash care who has advised thousands of patients and been featured in dozens of prestigious publications. Dr. Walker’s priority has always been to ensure the safety and awareness of Mylash’s valued customers, and to offer impartial advice to those seeking treatment, whether for solely cosmetic reasons or to address a health condition that affects hair growth.
Dr. Walker continues to write articles for the advice and care of Mylash’s customers
Featured article: Mylash and Trichotillomania
WHAT IS TRICHOTILLOMANIA?
Trichotillomania is a condition characterised by compulsive plucking of hair from an individuals own body. It can effect anyone of either sex and any age, but most commonly starts in the teenage years and effects three times as many women as men.
The condition can have a profound effect on a sufferers life, and the cause is unknown. It can be secondary to another condition, such as post traumatic stress disorder, but often there is no obvious trigger. There is ongoing research that suggests that there may be a genetic component to the condition.
Most sufferers pull hair from the scalp, but eyebrows and eyelashes are also very common sites. Hair loss in any way can be distressing and may lead to further anxiety. This may act as a stimulus for further pulling.
It’s not always a conscious decision to pull the hair. 80% of sufferers pull ‘automatically’ without consciously choosing to do so.
How can we treat Trichotillomania?
The treatment for trichotillomania is not primarily pharmaceutical. It requires therapy that acts to change the behaviour of the sufferer to limit then stop pulling of hair. If you think you have trichotillomania, and have not already done so, I strongly recommend talking to your GP; they will be able to provide you with help and arrange for a structured treatment plan. If medication is offered, it would be to support the ongoing therapy.
People with trichotillomania have also been using specific growth treatments as a treatment for eyelash and eyebrow pulling. When used alongside a treatment plan, such as behavioural therapy, such treatments can help to improve the outcomes. Users see results faster than with therapy alone, making is easier for them to adhere to the program as a whole.
What growth Treatments can help?
Mylash are able to offer a number of growth treatments under consultation with our team of doctors.
Some of our treatments options contains prostaglandin analogues like bimatoprost. When applied to the skin at the base of the eyelashes, it acts to stimulate their growth cycle and results in increased eyelash growth. It received FDA approval for cosmetic use in 2008. Such a treatment is not a cure for trichotillomania, or a front line therapy for the condition. When used to encourage the patient, however, it could help the success rate and recovery time. Current independent clinical evidence supporting its use is sparse and consists of case studies rather than randomised controlled trials.
Anecdotally, internet forums and blogs suggest that individual sufferers benefit from the treatment. We look forward to seeing further research to determine its efficacy in this case.