[Rionko]

Hi everyone.

I've been suffering from depression and anxiety on and off for many years. In the past 5 or so years, I have been having an issue with my eyebrows.

I think it started because I kept over plucking. Then they all disappeared. And now they just won't grow back properly. I keep feeling the hairs growing back and I have this urge to get rid of them. It irritates me so much, I just can't stop picking them.

I don't know if this is Trichotillomania, but I can't stop myself doing it. I've tried one of those tangle toys to distract myself but it doesn't distract me for long, before I'm back picking,

I keep thinking maybe if they weren't so prickly I might not be tempted to pick so much. Putting conditioner on my eyebrows isn't working though. Still feels prickly.

Short of tying my hands together I don't know what to do. I'm a bit of a picker, so spots and things I can go overboard with. But you know if I have no eyebrows then it just looks silly. Glasses and a fringe hide things to an extent, but I just want my eyebrows back.

I tell myself when I'm picking that I'm doing damage but I just can't control the urge, hairs are prickly and I can't stand them being there.

Have I gone completely insane?

[CANDC]

Welcome to Psych Central. Sorry you are suffering from the challenge of your eyebrows. When hairs first grow out they are prickly. Let them grow out and they will feel like natural eyelids.

[*Laurie*]

Hi and welcome. I don't think you've gone completely insane. What you're doing does sound like trichotillomania. I have the same problem.

[yanbut]

So this isn't super helpful as I don't have trich myself, but someone I know does, and she certainly does this to her eyebrows, so it sounds similar, at least to my one example. I don't know if this would be helpful to you as I don't know how confident you are with make up, but she draws her eyebrows back on, and she's got very good at it. I'm well aware it's not a solution to the condition itself, but I think it makes her feel less ashamed about how her physical appearance has altered? Good luck, anyway

[miss_rainy]

Yanbut I think that's a great idea

[*Laurie*]

I've found that when I draw in my eyebrows (I use Anastasia Eyebrow Pomade, then set it with clear mascara) I tend to stop plucking them.

[lemonpug]

Originally Posted by Rionko

Hi everyone.

I've been suffering from depression and anxiety on and off for many years. In the past 5 or so years, I have been having an issue with my eyebrows.

I think it started because I kept over plucking. Then they all disappeared. And now they just won't grow back properly. I keep feeling the hairs growing back and I have this urge to get rid of them. It irritates me so much, I just can't stop picking them.

I don't know if this is Trichotillomania, but I can't stop myself doing it. I've tried one of those tangle toys to distract myself but it doesn't distract me for long, before I'm back picking,

I keep thinking maybe if they weren't so prickly I might not be tempted to pick so much. Putting conditioner on my eyebrows isn't working though. Still feels prickly.

Short of tying my hands together I don't know what to do. I'm a bit of a picker, so spots and things I can go overboard with. But you know if I have no eyebrows then it just looks silly. Glasses and a fringe hide things to an extent, but I just want my eyebrows back.

I tell myself when I'm picking that I'm doing damage but I just can't control the urge, hairs are prickly and I can't stand them being there.

Have I gone completely insane?

Hi I am new to this site, so I hope I'm posting this correctly

You are not insane at all! I have been dealing with trich for around 11years, and I can completely relate to that feeling of being unable to stop yourself. It can be hard to deal with the fact that pulling hair takes seconds, but growing it back feels like forever.

Therapy has been helpful for me. Getting rid of tweezers and high magnifying mirrors might help. I keep an extra hair elastic on my wrist and snap it when I feel like I can't stop my hands from moving towards my face. I also wear a bunch of rings on my fingers to distract myself and have a small hand lotion in my bag.

Maybe talk to a Dr or a therapist to help! I hope something helps you because I know it's tough being brow-less.

Stay positive