Trichster Sisters Interviews: Keira

September 2020

For BFRB Week, October 1st-7th, I wanted to highlight some of my awesome Trichster Sisters. Here is Keira, who turns 7 later this month and is in 1st grade. She wants to help raise BFRB awareness, so I interviewed her (with some help from her mom)!

Keira's mom Amanda says Keira has been twirling her hair since she was a baby, but around July/August 2015, she started pulling it out. She was two years old.

Christmas 2016, age 3

Keira pulls in the back of her head and sometimes up top. I asked Keira what are some hard things about having trich, she said, "Trying to stop and trying to never do it again. Sometimes when I'm sad and mad I do it but not anymore. Now I can draw, or watch television, or do reading." She said some good things about trich were receiving her bear and having me as a Trichster Sister.

Keira likes drawing and doing arts and crafts to help her trich

Trichster Sisters with matching bears!

When asked what she would say to other kids who have trich, Keira replied, "I would say instead of pulling your hair you can draw or read or watch television." But she also wants them to know that it's okay if you do pull. She also said it's important to talk about it and not hold it inside. Keira says she wishes people understood "That I have trich. Trich is like pulling your hair out of you." To raise awareness for trichotillomania, she told her teacher about it when she started kindergarten last year.

Early 2020

Some things that Keira likes about herself: "I like that my eyelashes are long. I'm nice, I'm very friendly, and I love my stuffed animals. I sleep with 100! I'm a dancer. I do jazz, tap, and ballet." This is her fourth year dancing! Some fun facts about Keira, in her own words: "I play Sonic with my brother. I like to watch movies 100 times, like Beetlejuice!"

Keira's dance recital, summer 2020

I had so much fun doing this interview, thank you Keira and Amanda for helping raise trichotillomania awareness during BFRB Week!