The INSIDER Summery:
- A 16-year-old in the UK died after a hairball in her stomach cause an infection.
- It's possible the teen suffered from Rapunzel syndrome, which stems from a psychiatric condition.
- This particular disorder results in people eating their own hair, and it may be more common than people think.
Most people have been caught chewing their hair at some point, whether it's due to stress or nerves. For some people, however, eating their tresses is more than a tic — it's a psychiatric condition that can cause serious medical conditions.
Local news outlet Lincolnshire Live reported that 16-year-old Jasmine Beever died from a hairball that formed in her stomach and later became infected. The infected hair ball caused an ulcer, which burst and shut down her vital organs.
But how did the hairball form in the first place? Fox News reported that the teen may have suffered from Rapunzel syndrome, which stems from the psychiatric condition known as trichophagia.
The condition stems from the compulsive need to pull your own hair.
According to the US National Institutes of Health, trichophagia is a form of trichotillomania, the compulsive urge to pull out one's own hair. This psychiatric condition can stem from both positive and negative emotions, as noted by Mayo Clinic. For some people, pulling their hair is a way to cope with stress, anxiety, loneliness, and fear. For others, the act is simple satisfying, much like watching pimple popping videos.
In some cases, like that of Beever, trichotillomania manifests into trichophagia — the desire to eat one's own hair. When this happens, an article in the Journal of Translational Internal Medicine noted that trichobezoars — aka hair balls — form in the gastrointestinal tract and become infected. When noticed, the hairballs are removed via surgery, as further noted by the article. If left untreated, however, the infection can spread and lead to complications with the organs.
More people suffer from trichotillomania thank you'd think.
Because trichotillomania and trichophagia are not widely talked about, many may think Beever's case was a one-off. According to MedlinePlus, however, about 4% of people suffer from trichotillomania, with women being four times more likely to suffer. Of those who have trichotillomania, about one third suffer from trichophagia, according to the Singapore Medical Journal.
Additionally, Beever is not the only reported case of Rapunzel syndrome. Last year, a woman who went to her doctor complaining of severe stomach pains and nausea. It turns out, she too had a hairball in her stomach, according to CBS News.
Oliva Munn suffers from trichotillomania.
In a 2012 interview with The Daily News, Oliva Munn said she rips out her eyelashes as a way to cope with anxiety.
"I rip out my eyelashes," says said. "It doesn't hurt, but it's really annoying. Every time I run out of the house, I have to stop and pick up a whole set of fake eyelashes."
And Munn isn't the only person in Hollywood suffering from the disorder. Megan Fox, Justin Timberlake, and Charlize Theron all deal with trichotillomania, according to Health Research Funding,
As of now, there is limited research on the condition which means there is no formal way to treat it. That said, working with a psychiatrist or behavior therapist could help.
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