What is clear from published cases is that surgical removal can be an effective treatment for significant trichobezoars.
For example, a case report published in BMJ Case Reports described a patient with Rapunzel syndrome whose large hair mass was removed through abdominal surgery after it caused partial obstruction of the stomach’s outlet.
PMC
Such reports demonstrate that the condition is medically real, although they do not establish the circumstances of the viral story.
Recovery involves more than removing the mass
Successful surgery addresses the immediate physical problem, but recovery may require additional care.
Doctors monitor patients for complications, assess pain control, and determine when food and fluids can be safely resumed.
If poor nutrition, anemia, dehydration, or other problems developed before treatment, these may need to be addressed.
Follow-up appointments help clinicians assess healing and recognize any returning symptoms.
When a trichobezoar is linked to hair-eating behavior, attention to the underlying behavior is especially important.
