Hair Pulling Hypnotherapy Brisbane
Is hair pulling that irresistible spike of tension that sends your hand searching for strands to tug, the fleeting release eclipsed by the snap of hair, a pang of guilt, and the aching urge to do it all over again?
Hair Pulling Hypnotherapy Brisbane
FAQs
What is hair-pulling hypnotherapy?
It is a targeted form of clinical hypnosis that helps you access the subconscious urges behind trichotillomania and re-pattern them into calmer, healthier coping strategies.
How many sessions will I need?
Most clients notice reduced urges within 3–5 sessions. Chronic or long-standing patterns often respond best to a structured program of 6–8 sessions plus follow-up “maintenance” consults during high-stress periods.
Will I lose control during hypnosis?
No. You remain aware, able to move, and free to reject any suggestion that doesn’t feel right. Hypnosis is a cooperative, focused-attention state—not mind control.
Can hypnotherapy stop hair pulling permanently?
Many Brisbane clients achieve long-term remission, but results vary. Like physical rehab, ongoing mental “reps” (self-hypnosis recordings, trigger logs, relapse-prevention scripts) strengthen permanence.
What is hair pulling (trichotillomania)?
Trichotillomania is a compulsive disorder characterized by repetitive pulling of one's own hair, resulting in noticeable hair loss, emotional distress, and impairment in daily functioning.
What are common symptoms of trichotillomania?
Common symptoms include repetitive pulling of hair from the scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes, or other areas, noticeable hair loss, bald patches, attempts to hide affected areas, increased anxiety before pulling, and a sense of relief afterward.
Why do people compulsively pull their hair?
Hair pulling often serves as a way to relieve stress, anxiety, boredom, or tension. It can become an automatic or habitual behavior, sometimes associated with emotional regulation difficulties or obsessive-compulsive tendencies.
Is trichotillomania a serious condition?
Yes, trichotillomania can significantly affect an individual’s emotional health, causing feelings of shame, embarrassment, anxiety, depression, and negatively impacting social and professional relationships.
Can hypnotherapy help with hair pulling?
Hypnotherapy is highly effective for trichotillomania, helping individuals address underlying stressors, identify and manage triggers, reduce compulsive urges, and establish healthier coping mechanisms.
How many hypnotherapy sessions does it typically take to see improvement?
Many people see noticeable improvements within just a few sessions; however, sustained improvement often requires regular sessions combined with consistent self-help strategies.
What self-help strategies can I use to manage hair pulling?
Useful strategies include keeping hands occupied with sensory toys, stress-reduction techniques like mindfulness meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, using barriers (e.g., gloves or hats), and increasing awareness of pulling triggers.
Is hair pulling related to other mental health conditions?
Yes, trichotillomania often coexists with anxiety, OCD, depression, impulse control disorders, ADHD, or body-focused repetitive behaviors like skin picking (dermatillomania).
Can hair regrow after compulsive hair pulling?
In most cases, hair will regrow once pulling stops, though repeated long-term hair pulling may damage hair follicles, leading to permanent hair loss. Early intervention helps prevent permanent damage.
When should someone seek professional help for hair pulling?
Seek professional help if hair pulling causes emotional distress, interferes with daily life or relationships, creates noticeable bald patches, or if self-help methods haven't been effective in managing the behavior.
Hair Pulling Hypnotherapy Brisbane: Stop Trichotillomania & Regrow Confidence
Overcome compulsive hair pulling, trichotillomania, and eyebrow or eyelash plucking with specialised hair‑pulling hypnotherapy in Brisbane. Through clinical hypnosis, habit‑reversal training, and anxiety‑reduction techniques, our certified hypnotherapist retrains your subconscious, dissolves urge‑tension cycles, and installs calm coping strategies. Sessions suit teens, adults, and children, promoting scalp healing, fuller regrowth, and restored self‑esteem. Book your personalised, drug‑free treatment today and reclaim lasting freedom from hair‑pulling habits.
Hair Pulling Hypnotherapy Study
Study / Evidence
A small clinical article described using hypnotherapy with three children who had trichotillomania. The children were treated over 7–16 weeks using relaxation and mental imagery techniques. Two achieved full remission after 7–8 weeks, and one after 16 weeks (with a relapse that responded to retreatment). During an average follow-up of about 16 months, no recurrences were reported. Tel Aviv University
Hypnotherapy practitioners often describe using hypnosis to help with identifying triggers, interrupting the urge, and teaching alternative soothing behaviors. For example, hypnosis may help the person disrupt associations (e.g. “in this place, I pull hair”) or strengthen self-control. Psychology Today+2centerpointmedicine.com+2
However, beyond the small case report above, I could not locate well-powered randomized controlled trials examining hypnotherapy alone for trichotillomania in adults.
How Hypnotherapy Is Applied (Practitioner Perspective)
Trigger identification & disruption: Using hypnotic suggestions to weaken automatic links between certain settings/emotional states and the hair-pulling behavior. Psychology Today+1
Alternative soothing behaviors: Teaching clients, under hypnosis, new habits or responses when the urge arises (e.g. using the “Helping Hand” technique: when one hand moves to pull hair, the other intervenes). Psychology Today
Relaxation & stress reduction: Since stress and anxiety often precipitate hair pulling, hypnosis is used to reduce underlying tension. centerpointmedicine.com+1
Imagery & subconscious reprogramming: Using guided imagery to imagine healthier relationships with hair, strengthening self-control and confidence. ahahypnotherapy.org.au+1
Self-hypnosis / reinforcement audios: Clients may be given recordings or instructed in self-hypnosis so they can continue reinforcing new responses outside sessions. ahahypnotherapy.org.au+2Tel Aviv University+2
Conclusion & Takeaway
Hypnotherapy for hair pulling (trichotillomania) shows some promise, especially in children (based on a small case report), but the evidence is very limited. It may serve best as an adjunctive tool, complementing more established treatments (e.g. behavior therapy / habit reversal training). More rigorous research (randomized controlled trials, with adult samples and control groups) is needed to determine how effective hypnotherapy truly is in this context.
Key Study / Case Reports with Hypnotherapy
“Hypnotherapy in Adolescents with Trichotillomania: Three Cases” (2001)
This paper describes treatment of three adolescents with “pure” trichotillomania using imaginative hypnotherapy (including Ericksonian suggestions and cueing). Two patients achieved complete resolution within 7–8 weeks; the third took 16 weeks (with a relapse, but was successfully retreated). Improvement was sustained at 6-month follow-up. The Center of Success“Hypnotherapy: An Effective Treatment Modality for Trichotillomania” (Cohen, Barzilai, & Lahat, 1999)
In this article, three children were treated with hypnotherapy (relaxation + imagery). Two recovered in 7–8 weeks; one in 16 weeks (with a brief relapse, then retreatment). Mean follow-up was 16 months with no recurrence. Tel Aviv University“Emptying the Habit: A Case of Trichotillomania” (Oakley, 1998, in Contemporary Hypnosis)
This is a detailed case report of a 39-year-old patient with 25 years of hair pulling. The therapist used a two-stage approach: first uncovering unresolved psychological issues via hypnosis/ego-state work, then a more direct behavioral approach to reduce the habit. The case was successful. BSCAH“Tricotylomania (Hair Pulling Disorder) and Hypnotherapy: Case Report”
A Turkish case report (in Zenodo) describes using hypnotherapy in a patient with trichotillomania. Zenodo“Hypnotic Treatment of Trichotillomania: Two Cases”
This article reports on two more cases treated using hypnotic techniques, with positive outcomes. scilit.com