N-acetylcysteine in trichotillomania as an alternative treatment option

We aimed to examine trichotillomania (TTM), a rarely seen disorder, and N-acetylcysteine (NAC), an agent used as a treatment option, in the light of literature in the present study. Trichotillomania is the compulsive urge to pull out one’s own hair persistently and leading to noticeable hair loss. Contrary to what is expected, it is a more frequently detected disorder characterized by compulsive hair pull-outs and of great importance not only due to physical appearance but also due to its associated psychosocial problems. Metabolic functions of N-acetylcysteine are effective either as antioxidant (forming up glutathione which is an endogenous antioxidant) or as glutamatergic agent. Due to these effects, N-acetylcysteine was administrated in as oxidative stress related schizophrenia and bipolar disorders as well as trichotillomania characterized by compulsive symptoms and in eating nail. Administration of N-acetylcysteine in cases with psychiatric disorders was reported in clinical researches such as case report and open label studies. In the literature, the efficiency of N-acetylcysteine in the treatment of trichotillomania was demonstrated in 3 studies as case report, double blind and placebo controlled researches. N-acetylcysteine may be a promising and ideal treatment option in the mono or combined treatment of diseases such as trichotillomania due to its efficiency, and cost affectivity, but it also does not lead to adverse effects.