‘Rapunzel Syndrome’: Doctors Extract 2 kg of Hair from Woman's Stomach in Rare Case

Bareilly: In a shocking medical case, doctors in Bareilly extracted 2 kg of human hair from the stomach of a 21-year-old woman, who had been eating her own hair for the past 16 years. The woman, a resident of Kargaina, was diagnosed with trichophagia, also known as Rapunzel Syndrome, a rare psychological condition where individuals compulsively eat their own hair.

The diagnosis was made on September 20, when a CT scan revealed a massive accumulation of hair in her stomach and intestines. “The quantity of hair had completely captured the cavity of her stomach and even some part of her intestine,” said Dr MP Singh, a surgeon at the district hospital.

The woman admitted to having started eating her hair at the age of five, plucking it discreetly whenever she had the chance. The condition, a form of trichobezoar, had worsened over the years, causing her to vomit after ingesting solid food and liquids.

Dr Singh explained, "Trichophagia is a chronic psychiatric disorder that involves the repeated ingestion of hair. It's often associated with trichotillomania, a condition that involves compulsively pulling out one's own hair." He further described Rapunzel Syndrome as an "unusual form of trichobezoar" and stated that it can cause serious health concerns like abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and even weight loss.

The hairball was successfully removed during surgery on September 26. Hospital In-charge, Dr Alka Sharma, emphasized the rarity of such cases, stating, "No such case has been reported in the last 20 years." The woman is now receiving counselling at the hospital to address the underlying psychological issues behind her condition.

Doctors are hopeful that with continued therapy, the woman will be able to recover fully from the disorder.