That is crazy pjp123 and ladybug (hi Brenda:)!)
I'm not sure if I wrote this above, but I started pulling my hair when I was 8 (I'm 37, almost 38, now)
Interesting thing....the apple did not fall far from the tree, my 9 year old son started pulling his hair in second grade. He was also showing signs of major anxiety and depression in kindergarten and was always fidgiting with something on his body. biting his nails, pulling at (but mot pulling out) his eyelashes, tapping his feet...When I realized my reactions to fragrances and changed EVERYTHING in my house to fragrance free in early 2012 (laundry detergent, no dryer sheets, cleaning products, lotions etc. etc.) his pulling stopped!!!! And like turning off a light switch, he became the happiest little guy. It was truly remarkable.
I have read up on salicylate sensitivity and it was either on fedup.com or on the Royal Prince Albert Hospital website (Australia) that I read a link between salicylate intolerance and trichotillomania and mood/anxiety disorders.
Now that the ambiguities of my life have become more clear to me with my autoimmune urticaria and MCAS diagnosis's and my ever-growing trigger list, I have most certainly seen the link between my trich and anxiety with triggers. Especially salicylates.
So crazy!!!! I am so thankful for this forum! Thanks Deborah!!
Just thinking.....I wonder if cromolyn or ketotefin have any sort of links to salicylates? I had a reaction to both medications as I do to sals.
Does anyone know?
By the way, for anyone interested, it took me a long time to find a salicylate free moisturizer. I guess a lot of people with sal issues can tolerate shea butter, but not me, so I finally found a brand called theraplex that has a couple sal free items. I even had them call the lab to make sure! Lol
Anyways, it's more like a balm, like a thick vasaline I guess, but it doesn't go on greasy.