Trich and Digestion?

I am new to this forum/website, and I'm hoping you guys can help me out a bit. I recently read an article about a 12 year old girl that had eaten her hair for years and had an enormous hairball (trichobezoar) removed from her stomach. I have been pulling my eyebrows and eyelashes out since I was about 8 (I am now almost 20, female), and often chew on/eat the ones I have pulled (which I also do with my habit of nail-biting). Are these tiny bits of hair/nails/skin accumulating in my stomach? And if so, are they digestible, or am I going to have serious stomach problems? I think this girl was eating whole strands of long hair, which seems much more unhealthy than what I do.
I feel embarrassed talking about all of this, but I don't really have anyone else to ask or talk to, and the article really shook me up (especially the pictures). I apologize if I have offended anyone or grossed anyone out. Thanks for your time in reading this.

Heya,

Hair is actually just made of protein, so these small eyelashes will pose no problem. What's happened in that other girl's case is that the sheer length of the hair made it difficult for her digestive system to adequately break down the protein. So, really, don't worry about it. Don't feel embarrassed about it either - You can talk about anything you want to here. Are you getting help for your problem? Recently, I have been looking upon Trich. as a form of OCD. THey share many similarities.

Kevin

I've been worried about this for years, since I saw that article about the girl needing surgery. I eat my hair too, but I chew it up into little pieces first. I'm relieved to hear that it shouldn't be a problem. Even though I know it's bad, I can't stop! (Much like the actual act of pulling, too.) I'm so scared that I might need to get it removed, that I haven't gone for a physical or anything for years. I'm too ashamed to have other people know about this stupid habit that I have.