04-19-2016, 05:04 PM
Hairballs
For those who get grossed out easily or aren't interested in medical oddities, you probably want to skip this post.
A couple of years ago, I read about an American girl and an Indian girl who had both had huge hairballs removed from their stomachs. They both almost died because they couldn't eat or drink. This is the 9 pound hairball, medically called a bezoar, surgically removed from the Indian girl.
![[Image: hairball_3056536c.jpg]](http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/03056/hairball_3056536c.jpg)
Today, I read a similar case about another girl in India and learned a little more about the condition. The compulsive eating of hair is called Trichophagia, and if left unchecked it can develop into Rapunzel Syndrome whereby a hairball develops a ‘tail’ which trails down into the lower intestine.
The body doesn't break down or absorb the fiber in hair, so the hair ingested builds up and grows. Rapunzel syndrome, which affects about 120 people per year, is predominantly found in young people who have learning disabilities or are emotionally disturbed.
Stories:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopi...omach.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/articl...z46J9hStky
For those who get grossed out easily or aren't interested in medical oddities, you probably want to skip this post.
A couple of years ago, I read about an American girl and an Indian girl who had both had huge hairballs removed from their stomachs. They both almost died because they couldn't eat or drink. This is the 9 pound hairball, medically called a bezoar, surgically removed from the Indian girl.
Today, I read a similar case about another girl in India and learned a little more about the condition. The compulsive eating of hair is called Trichophagia, and if left unchecked it can develop into Rapunzel Syndrome whereby a hairball develops a ‘tail’ which trails down into the lower intestine.
The body doesn't break down or absorb the fiber in hair, so the hair ingested builds up and grows. Rapunzel syndrome, which affects about 120 people per year, is predominantly found in young people who have learning disabilities or are emotionally disturbed.
Stories:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopi...omach.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/articl...z46J9hStky