Trichotillomania Wigs: Types, Costs and Help With Pulling

If you’re thinking about a wig because of trichotillomania, you’re in good company. Trichotillomania (trich), the condition where people repeatedly pull out their own hair, affects about 1 in 50 people, and many people cover up. In research interviews, people with trich describe using wigs, extensions, make-up and false lashes to feel comfortable in public.

A trichotillomania wig can do more than hide hair loss. For some people it also gets in the way of pulling. This guide covers both jobs, the types that suit trich, how to protect your regrowth, and what wigs cost where you live.

Can a wig help with pulling as well as hiding it?

Yes, for some people, but no one has tested it in a study. A wig covers the scalp, so your fingers meet the wig first. That small interruption can be enough to make you notice what your hand is doing, which is the moment you get a choice.

This works like other barriers. The UK’s NHS suggests wearing a bandana or a close-fitting hat such as a beanie to help resist urges. In a follow-up of people who had therapy based on the ComB model (an approach that matches a strategy to each thing that drives your pulling), 35% said they used a hat, bandana or headband. That shows people use head coverings, not that they work, but it fits with what we know about barriers in general.

A wig may help most if you:

• mostly pull from your scalp rather than brows, lashes or elsewhere
• pull on autopilot, while reading, watching TV or working, rather than in front of a mirror
• tend to search your scalp by touch for a certain kind of hair

There are limits to know about:

• It only covers your scalp. It won’t help with brows, lashes or body hair.
• It comes off at home. Many people pull most in the evening or in bed, when the wig is on its stand. A soft beanie or sleep cap can take over then. Our guide to pulling at night has more ideas.
• You can still reach under it. Watch for fiddling with the hairline, the edges or the wig’s own fibres, and treat it like any other urge.
• Hiding can keep worry going. In a survey of 338 people with alopecia (hair loss not caused by pulling), 46% said a wig had a positive impact on daily life. The researchers also found that concealment eased fear of being judged in the moment but could keep anxiety going over time. Nobody has studied this in trich. It’s worth noticing if your wig starts to feel like something you can’t be seen without.

A wig works best alongside the skills that reduce pulling itself. Our guide to how to stop pulling your hair sets out the practical steps.

Which types of wig suit trichotillomania?

The best choice depends on how much hair you want to cover and how much regrowth you want to protect. For most people with trich, that means something comfortable and breathable that doesn’t pull on their own hair or need glue.

Wigs also differ in how the cap is made. A monofilament cap uses fine, see-through mesh with hairs tied in by hand, so the parting looks like scalp. A lace front has fine lace along the hairline so the edge looks natural. Basic caps with rows of sewn-in hair are the most common and the cheapest. If you pull from your hairline, a lace front or a style with soft layers around the face can hide it well.

How do I protect my own hair and scalp under a wig?

Keep tension low, skip strong adhesives where you can, and give your scalp time off. Your hair can usually grow back after pulling, and the aim is not to add a second cause of hair loss on top.

• Avoid constant pulling on your own hair. Clips, tight bands, weaves and attached extensions put steady tension on the hair. Over time this can cause traction alopecia (hair loss from pulling tension), which can become permanent. The American Academy of Dermatology says pain or a headache means a style is too tight.
• Go easy on glue and tape. Adhesives used to bond hairpieces can cause contact dermatitis (an itchy, sore rash from something touching the skin). Some wig tapes and dyes in synthetic fibres have also triggered allergies.
• Use a soft liner. A thin cotton wig cap between your scalp and the wig can feel more comfortable and helps keep the wig clean.
• Take it off at home when you can, wash your scalp regularly, and store the wig on a stand.
• Pick clip-free styles while hair regrows. If you want a topper, ask about pieces that sit without clipping onto fine new hair.

For a timeline of how long scalp hair takes to come back, see our guide to whether hair grows back after trichotillomania.

What do wigs for trichotillomania cost?

Synthetic wigs cost the least, and human hair wigs usually cost several times more but last longer. Help with costs exists in some countries, but it is usually aimed at conditions such as alopecia areata or cancer treatment, so check the rules and ask.

Buying privately. Breast Cancer Network Australia says wigs cost from about $80 up to several thousand dollars.

Help with costs. Some state and territory schemes help with wigs, and some private health insurance extras policies cover part of the cost when hair loss is due to a medical condition. Rules vary by state. New South Wales’ EnableNSW wig funding excludes trichotillomania by name, while South Australia’s government equipment scheme covers adults in metropolitan Adelaide with permanent hair loss from treatment for a major illness. Ask your GP what applies in your state.

How do I choose and buy a wig?

Try before you buy, and go somewhere with a private fitting room if you can. Wig fitters are used to working with hair loss, and you don’t have to explain more than you want to.

• Decide what the wig is for. Covering a patch, acting as a barrier, or both? That points you to a full wig, a topper or headwear.
• Match your usual hair. A similar colour and style feels less like a big change.
• Check the fit. It should feel secure without pressing or pinching. Ask how to adjust it.
• Ask about care and lifespan, and whether a second wig would let you rotate them while one is being washed.
• Ask about returns before you pay, especially online.
• Consider a starter wig. A lower-cost synthetic wig lets you find out whether wearing one suits you before spending more.

For quicker, cheaper options such as hairstyles, hair fibres and hats, see our guide to covering bald spots from hair pulling.

When should I get help?

Get support if pulling is taking up a lot of your time, causing you distress, or making you avoid people and places, with or without a wig. A wig can make daily life easier, but it doesn’t change the urge to pull. Therapy based on Habit Reversal Training (HRT), which teaches you to notice pulling and do something else with your hands, has the most research behind it. Our guide to Habit Reversal Training explains how it works.

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

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

Sources

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3. Montgomery, White & Thompson (2017). A mixed methods survey of social anxiety, anxiety, depression and wig use in alopecia. BMJ Open.
4. Saed, Ibrahim & Bergfeld (2017). Hair camouflage: A comprehensive review. International Journal of Women’s Dermatology.
5. Banafshi & Khatony (2025). Exploring the lived experiences of individuals with trichotillomania: a descriptive phenomenological study. BMC Psychology.
6. American Academy of Dermatology. How to prevent hair damage from a weave or extensions.
7. DermNet. Traction alopecia.
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