EJMCR |

Letter to the Editor

Published: Dec 10, 2025 | DOI: 10.24911/ejmcr.9-2391

Tonsillar trichophagia without trichotillomania: a pediatric case and psychiatric considerations

Authors: Abdullah Ozan Polat , Prof.Dr Okcan Basat

Authors

Abdullah Ozan Polat

Department of Family Medicine, University of Health Sciences, Gaziosmanpaşa Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Türkiye, Turkey

ORCID

Prof.Dr Okcan Basat

Department of Family Medicine, University of Health Sciences, Gaziosmanpaşa Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Türkiye, Turkey

Publication History

Received: October 15, 2025

Accepted: November 13, 2025

Published: December 10, 2025

Abstract

Background:
Trichophagia, the compulsive ingestion of hair, is most commonly linked to trichotillomania. However, isolated trichophagia without hair-pulling behavior is extremely rare, especially in children.

Case Presentation:
We report a nine-year-old girl with isolated tonsillar trichophagia presenting with sore throat and dysphagia. Physical examination revealed dark hair strands embedded in the bilateral tonsillar crypts. Tonsillectomy confirmed localized hair bezoars. The patient’s mother had obsessive–compulsive disorder, and her father had generalized anxiety disorder, suggesting strong familial psychiatric vulnerability. The child underwent cognitive-behavioral therapy and family-based psychoeducation after surgery.

Conclusion:
This rare case demonstrates that trichophagia may occur independently of trichotillomania and can manifest in unusual locations such as the tonsils. Early psychiatric evaluation combined with surgical management is crucial to prevent recurrence and address underlying psychopathology.

Keywords: Trichophagia, Trichotillomania, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Tonsillar Bezoar, Pediatric Psychiatry

Pubmed Style

Abdullah Ozan Polat, Prof.Dr Okcan Basat. Tonsillar trichophagia without trichotillomania: a pediatric case and psychiatric considerations. EJMCR. 2025; 10 (December 2025): -. doi:10.24911/ejmcr.9-2391

Web Style

Abdullah Ozan Polat, Prof.Dr Okcan Basat. Tonsillar trichophagia without trichotillomania: a pediatric case and psychiatric considerations. https://ejmcr.com/articles/2391 [Access: December 16, 2025]. doi:10.24911/ejmcr.9-2391

AMA (American Medical Association) Style

Vancouver/ICMJE Style

Abdullah Ozan Polat, Prof.Dr Okcan Basat. Tonsillar trichophagia without trichotillomania: a pediatric case and psychiatric considerations. EJMCR. (2025), [cited December 16, 2025]; 10 (December 2025): -. doi:10.24911/ejmcr.9-2391

Harvard Style

Abdullah Ozan Polat, Prof.Dr Okcan Basat (2025) Tonsillar trichophagia without trichotillomania: a pediatric case and psychiatric considerations. EJMCR, 10 (December 2025): -. doi:10.24911/ejmcr.9-2391

Chicago Style

Abdullah Ozan Polat, Prof.Dr Okcan Basat. "Tonsillar trichophagia without trichotillomania: a pediatric case and psychiatric considerations." 10 (2025), -. doi:10.24911/ejmcr.9-2391

MLA (The Modern Language Association) Style

Abdullah Ozan Polat, Prof.Dr Okcan Basat. "Tonsillar trichophagia without trichotillomania: a pediatric case and psychiatric considerations." 10.December 2025 (2025), -. Print. doi:10.24911/ejmcr.9-2391

APA (American Psychological Association) Style

Abdullah Ozan Polat, Prof.Dr Okcan Basat (2025) Tonsillar trichophagia without trichotillomania: a pediatric case and psychiatric considerations. , 10 (December 2025), -. doi:10.24911/ejmcr.9-2391