Ruben Shares Experience Living with Trichotillomania to Raise Awareness

Ruben Chorlton-Owen shares his decade-long experience living with Trichotillomania, aiming to raise awareness and support others with the condition.

Ruben Opens Up About Living with Trichotillomania

Ruben Chorlton-Owen, a 24-year-old online content creator from Abersoch, Gwynedd, has spoken about living with the compulsive hair-pulling condition Trichotillomania for ten years. The condition causes him to pull hair from his beard and eyebrows when feeling anxious or bored.

Research published in the scientific journal Nature estimates that Trichotillomania affects between 1% and 2% of the population.

Professor Claire Mackay, a neuroscience academic at the University of Oxford, noted that the condition can be very severe, sometimes leading individuals to pull out all their hair.

Ruben hopes that sharing his experience will help others who might have the disorder.

"I used to make excuses for what had happened," said Ruben, who has pulled hair from his eyebrows in the past.

"I remember looking in the mirror and thinking 'what have I done?'

"I started avoiding photos and sometimes wore a cap to hide thinning areas."

"If people asked what had happened, I often made a joke about a shaving mistake rather than admit the real reason."

Dau lun o Ruben, gydag aeliau tenau ac un gyda hanner y gwallt wedi mynd — Disgrifiad o’r llun, Dywedodd Ruben, sydd wedi tynnu gwallt o'i aeliau yn y gorffennol, ei fod arfer gwneud esgusodion am yr hyn oedd wedi digwydd

Ruben has over a million followers on TikTok and hopes that by discussing his condition openly, others will realise they are not alone.

"It's a very real thing and people shouldn't feel ashamed about it.

"Be happy with yourself and if you want to look online or contact some charities or even me, you are very welcome."

Partner Amber Shares Insights on Supporting Ruben

Ruben's partner, Amber Phillips, said she became aware of his Trichotillomania while watching television together.

"I would notice he was always pulling his hair, and I would ask, 'what are you doing?' and it happened quite often."

"He said he couldn't stop himself."

Amber expressed pride that Ruben is now able to speak publicly about his condition.

"I think it's really good that he is raising awareness.

"I'm very proud of him and it's a very brave thing to do, to come out and talk about something you're insecure about and have kept hidden."

Ruben a'i bartner Amber — Disgrifiad o’r llun, Mae partner Ruben, Amber, yn dweud ei bod hi wedi dysgu ffyrdd o helpu Ruben i reoli ei gyflwr

Professor Claire Mackay’s Experience and Research

Professor Claire Mackay works in partnership with the support group BFRB UK and Ireland and has lived with Trichotillomania for 40 years.

Her new book, Keep Your Hair On, Understanding Urges to Pick, Pull and Bite, is based on her personal experience and years of research into repetitive body-focused behaviours.

"It's normal behaviour to pick, pull and bite a little bit.

"But it can be very serious," she added, "people can pull out all their hair."

"Different people are triggered by different things.

"Basically, it's a self-soothing behaviour," she said. She described it as a chronic condition but one that can be managed.

"There are therapists who offer specific therapies, but self-help strategies can be just as effective.

"One of the best is finding other people who suffer from the same thing."

Athro Clare Mackay a chopi o'i llyfr — Disgrifiad o’r llun, Mae'r Athro Clare Mackay wedi ysgrifennu am ei phrofiad hi gyda'r cyflwr

Various Techniques Available to Help

Meryl Da Costa-Rohland, who works for TrichStop, a treatment provider for Trichotillomania, explained that many different techniques can help people break the habit.

"Most of us know about cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) which can help address the thoughts and patterns around hair pulling.

"Acceptance and Commitment Therapy or ACT is also available - this helps people separate the urge from the behaviour a bit, and also helps us respond differently to that urge."

Ruben’s Personal Journey and Future Plans

Ruben added that pulling hair from his face was painful "at first" but his skin has "gotten used to it" over time.

He has had his eyebrows microbladed – a semi-permanent cosmetic tattooing technique that shapes and fills them – which has reduced his urge to pull hair.

He plans to make more videos about the condition following positive feedback to his decision to speak about his experience.