Doctors in Bengaluru are raising awareness about a rare but potentially life-threatening condition after treating patients who developed large hairballs inside their stomachs due to compulsive hair-pulling and hair-eating behaviour.
The cases have drawn attention to trichotillomania and trichophagia, psychiatric disorders that cause individuals to repeatedly pull out and ingest their own hair.
Massive hairball removed from young woman
In one recent case, a 23-year-old woman underwent surgery after doctors discovered a giant trichobezoar measuring 24×14 cm occupying most of her stomach.
She had been experiencing abdominal pain, loss of appetite and frequent vomiting for several months before scans revealed the hair mass.
Doctors said the condition developed over time as ingested hair accumulated inside the stomach.
Rare Rapunzel syndrome in child
In another unusual case, a two-year-old child was diagnosed with Rapunzel syndrome, a severe condition in which a hairball extends from the stomach into the intestines.
Doctors revealed that the child had been consuming hair, rubber bands and pieces of balloons since infancy. The behaviour eventually led to severe abdominal pain, vomiting and difficulty eating.
Medical experts described the case as extremely rare and potentially fatal if left untreated.
Symptoms often go unnoticed
According to specialists, many patients do not show obvious symptoms until the condition becomes advanced.
Common warning signs include repeated vomiting, abdominal discomfort, reduced appetite, unexplained weight loss and patchy hair loss from the scalp, eyebrows or eyelashes.
Doctors say the disorder is often linked to stress, anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive tendencies or pica, a condition involving the consumption of non-food substances.
Early intervention is crucial
Experts warned that untreated trichobezoars can block the digestive tract and lead to serious complications.
Treatment typically involves surgical removal of the hairball, followed by psychiatric counselling, behavioural therapy and medication to prevent recurrence.
Doctors have urged parents and family members to seek medical advice if they notice unusual eating habits or compulsive hair-pulling behaviour in children or adults.