Trichotillomania in Men: Beard, Scalp and Body Hair Pulling

Trichotillomania in men is far more common than most people think. Trichotillomania (trich) is often called a women’s condition, but that picture comes from who turns up at clinics. Large surveys suggest men pull their hair about as often as women. They’re just much less likely to ask for help.

This guide is for men who pull from their beard, scalp, brows, chest or anywhere else, and for the people who care about them.

Do men get trichotillomania?

Yes. Men get trichotillomania about as often as women, according to the largest studies of the general public.

In a 2020 online survey of 10,169 US adults, chosen to match the population by age and gender, men and women reported trich at almost the same rate. A 2022 meta-analysis (a study that pools the results of many earlier studies) combined 10 surveys of the public and did not find that trich was clearly more common in women. Results varied between studies, and the 2020 survey relied on people’s own answers rather than a professional assessment, so the exact balance isn’t settled.

Clinics tell a different story. Among people who come for treatment, women outnumber men by about 4 to 1.

Trich in men looks much the same as in women. Two clinic studies comparing them found far more in common than not. In one, men were more likely to pull from the face, arms and torso, but it included only 27 men, so that needs more research.

For the full picture of the condition, see our complete guide to trichotillomania.

Why do fewer men seek help?

Because trich in men is often easy to hide or explain away, and many men find it hard to ask for help with their mental health. The researchers behind the 2020 survey suggested that a man who pulls from his beard can shave it off, and a man who pulls from his scalp can blame ordinary balding. Nobody asks, so there’s less push to see a doctor.

In the same survey, fewer men than women described their distress as severe: 18% of men compared with 42% of women. The researchers saw this as one likely reason men come forward less. It doesn’t mean pulling isn’t affecting you: hiding it, and the shame that comes with hiding, takes a toll.

Wider pressures play a part too. The Mental Health Foundation, a UK mental health charity, points to the expectation that men should be strong and in control, which makes opening up harder. It also notes men are more likely to cope through drink or drugs than by talking.

Clinics mostly see women. Surveys of the public suggest men pull just as often, but most of them stay out of sight.

If everything you read about hair pulling is about women, it’s easy to decide yours must be just a bad habit. It isn’t. Trich is a recognised condition, and it isn’t a lack of willpower.

Is beard pulling a sign of trichotillomania?

Beard pulling is a common form of trichotillomania in men. The UK’s NHS lists the beard and moustache among the places people with trich pull from. It counts as trich when you pull again and again, you’ve tried to stop or cut down and can’t, and it causes you distress or gets in the way of your life.

Plucking the odd stray hair is ordinary grooming. The difference is control. If one hair turns into twenty minutes, or you keep going back to the same patch, that points to trich.

Beard pulling often follows a familiar pattern:

It starts with a stroke. Your fingers run through your beard while you think, read, drive or sit on a call, and find a hair that feels coarse, kinked or out of place.
Certain hairs call to you. Wiry, curly, grey or different-coloured hairs are common targets.
Stubble can be a trigger. After a shave, short, spiky regrowth is exactly the texture many people hunt for.
You hide it by changing your look. You grow the beard longer to cover gaps, or shave it all off and start again.

Some people also chew or swallow the hairs they pull. If you do, read the safety note at the end of this guide.

What about scalp and body hair?

Men pull from every part of the body. The scalp is the most common place overall, and brows, lashes, chest, arms, legs and the pubic area count too. Many people pull from more than one place.

Where	How men often hide it	Things to try first
Beard and moustache	Shaving it off, growing it longer over gaps	Keep it short and even, notice the first stroke, keep a fidget to hand
Scalp	A buzz cut or shaved head, caps, putting it down to balding	Short hair, a cap during risky times, a doctor’s check if you’re unsure
Eyebrows and eyelashes	Glasses, “naturally thin” brows	Move away from mirrors, keep tweezers out of reach
Chest, arms, legs and other body hair	Clothes	Barriers during risky times, something else for your hands

If you’re not sure whether scalp thinning is pulling or balding, a doctor can check.

Our guide to trichotillomania and alopecia explains how doctors tell hair loss conditions apart. There’s more on chest, arm and leg pulling in our guide to pulling body hair. If brows are your main spot, see our guide to pulling out eyebrows.

What helps men with trichotillomania?

The same things that help everyone. There’s no evidence men need a different treatment; a 1994 study comparing men and women concluded separate approaches weren’t justified.

Therapy based on Habit Reversal Training has the most research behind it, though many of the trials have been small. Habit Reversal Training is a type of behavioural therapy. It teaches you to notice when and where you pull, and to use a competing response: an action you can’t do while pulling, like clenching your fists for about a minute, until the urge passes. The NHS describes it as the usual treatment for trich.

Things to try for beard and face pulling:

Track it for a week. Note where you were, what you were doing and how you felt.
Make the first stroke your signal to swap, before you find a hair.
Keep your beard short and even. Shorter hair is harder to grip (the NHS suggests cutting hair short), and a trim avoids the stubble a clean shave leaves.
Give your hands a job: a stress ball, fidget or worry stone where you pull.
Use barriers at risky times, like plasters on your pulling fingertips.
Put tweezers away and avoid close-up mirrors.

For many men the pull starts with a stroke of the beard. Noticing that first move gives you the chance to swap it.

Our guide to Habit Reversal Training explains the steps in full. For more practical ideas, see how to stop pulling your hair.

Talking helps too: the NHS notes that many people who manage their trich say speaking to others led to less pulling. No medicine is approved specifically for trich, though some have been studied, so speak to a doctor or pharmacist before trying medication or supplements.

When should I get help?

Get support if pulling bothers you, takes up your time, or you’ve tried to stop and can’t. You don’t need bald patches to qualify.

A doctor can rule out other causes of hair loss. If you’re drinking more to cope, mention that too: a 2016 clinic study found men with trich were more likely than women to also have a drink or drug problem, and both are easier to tackle together.

Many doctors and therapists have never worked with someone who pulls. Everyone in our directory has told us they understand trichotillomania and already help people who pull, in person or online. You can search the directory for someone who understands hair pulling.

Our guide to finding a trichotillomania therapist explains what to ask on a first call.

If you’re a parent reading this for your son, start with The Parent’s Guide to Trichotillomania: understanding what your child is going through.

If you’re feeling very low or hopeless, please talk to someone today.

In an emergency, call 000 or go to your nearest emergency department.

Lifeline — 13 11 14 (www.lifeline.org.au)

Questions people ask

Should I shave my beard off to stop pulling?

It can help for a while, because there’s less to grip. The catch is that short, coarse stubble can itself be a strong trigger as it grows back. Many men find a short, even trim works better than a clean shave. Whatever you choose, pair it with other strategies.

Will my beard grow back after pulling?

For most people, yes. Hair follicles are tough, and regrowth usually starts within weeks. After many years of heavy pulling from the same spot, some follicles can be damaged, so a patch may come back thinner. That’s a reason to get support sooner, never a reason to think it’s too late.

Is my hair loss trich or male pattern baldness?

They usually look different. Balding tends to thin evenly at the crown or hairline. Trich tends to leave irregular patches with broken hairs of different lengths. If you’re not sure, a doctor can look at your scalp and tell you. You can have both at once.

Can men get trichotillomania later in life?

Yes. Trich often starts in the early teens, but it can begin at any age. In one large US survey, men started pulling at about 19 on average, a few years later than women. Starting in your twenties, thirties or later doesn’t make it any less real.

Do men need different treatment from women?

There’s no evidence that they do. Studies comparing men and women with trich have found far more similarities than differences, and the same approaches, especially Habit Reversal Training, are used for both. A good practitioner will shape the plan around where and why you pull.

How do I tell my partner I pull my beard hair?

Pick a calm moment, not the middle of a pulling episode. Keep it short: say it has a name, it’s a recognised condition, it isn’t something you choose, and tell them one thing that helps, like not pointing it out. Most people find telling one person takes a weight off.

Can stress make beard pulling worse?

Often, yes. Many people pull more during stressful stretches. But plenty of pulling happens when you’re bored, tired or concentrating too, such as on a long drive or during a video call. Tracking when you pull shows which kind you have more of.