Familial Trichotillomania in Three Generations

Trichotillomania (TTM) is a type of impulse control disorder, characterized by recurrent pulling of hair. The etiology of TTM is complex, but a genetic contribution to this condition was advocated based on a limited number of reports on familial TTM. We report a 13-year-old male with history of focal hair loss in the scalp. Examination showed a patchy area of hair loss, with several short broken hairs of varying lengths. Dermoscopy and pathology examinations were consistent with TTM. Upon further questioning, his father admitted repeated pulling of his beard. The paternal grandfather also suffers from severe hair pulling of his beard since puberty. To our knowledge, this is the first report of TTM in a 3 generation family. This report strengthens the possibility that TTM is a genetic disease, probably with a complex inheritance pattern. It also highlights the importance of appropriate family history taking when examining a TTM patient.