Hidden hair habit nearly cost teenager her life
A 16-year-old girl complaining of nausea and vomiting was found by doctors to have a massive trichobezoar — a ball of swallowed hair — in her stomach. The condition, known as Rapunzel syndrome, developed against the background of trichotillomania. The patient hid the habit for two years, swallowing three strands of hair per week. Endoscopy was unsuccessful, requiring open surgery. After the intervention, sertraline and cognitive behavioral therapy were prescribed.
Doctors diagnosed a 16-year-old girl with Rapunzel syndrome, a rare complication of trichotillomania in which swallowed hair forms a dense mass (trichobezoar) in the stomach. The patient presented with severe nausea and prolonged vomiting. A CT scan showed the bezoar completely filled the stomach and extended into the duodenum, blocking the digestive tract. Endoscopic removal was impossible, requiring open surgery. The girl admitted she had started pulling out and swallowing her hair about two years before hospitalization, doing it secretly — three strands once a week. There were no visible signs of baldness. Since childhood, she had suffered from migraines and cyclic vomiting, which led to her being homeschooled. After surgery, she was prescribed sertraline and cognitive behavioral therapy. Doctors emphasize that due to shame and fear of judgment, patients hide the dangerous habit for years, complicating diagnosis.