Trichobezoar

A trichobezoar is a hair tumor - the formation of hair stones in the stomach. The composition of a trichobezoar can include both human hair and animal hair.

Trichobezoars are a type of bezoars - compact masses consisting of indigestible food debris, mucus and other substances that accumulate in the gastrointestinal tract of some animals and humans. However, unlike other bezoars, which usually consist of inorganic materials, a trichobezoar is formed specifically from hair.

The reasons for the formation of trichobezoars are not fully understood. It is assumed that their occurrence can be caused by trichophagia - compulsive eating of hair, often found in some mental disorders. The hair accumulated in the stomach eventually weaves into a dense lump, which increases in size as new hair is added. This can cause various complications, so trichobezoars require surgical removal.

There are few descriptions of trichobezoars in medicine, however, these tumors are quite rare and can be fatal without timely treatment. Trichophytosis, also known as ringworm, is a fungal disease that affects the top layer of skin and hair. These dermatological problems usually occur in autumn and winter, due to stress and weakened immunity in predisposed individuals. Once ingested with food, the fungus can begin to develop in internal organs, so trichophytosis requires effective treatment, even in the early stages.

Trichobezoars are dangerous neoplasms in the walls of the gastrointestinal tract, made from hair. Experts call this phenomenon trichobesis. This pathological process is accompanied by irreversible decomposition of the hair structure and the embedding of dead clots into the mucous membrane of one of the internal organs. Most often, trichobezoars occur in the stomach, less often in the intestines.

Clinical picture Usually the sick person feels well. The first symptoms indicate an eating disorder: nausea, vomiting, and discomfort in the stomach. Later, the person begins to notice an increase in the intensity of pain, especially if he assumes a horizontal position. As for the pathomorphological course of trichobenosis, the disease in the first stage most often progresses slowly, and diagnosis takes a long period. Further formation of the tumor worsens the patient’s quality of life. Most patients during trichobesis experience varying degrees of pain, heartburn and intestinal upset often occur.