TV personality and former reality star Anna Robards has bravely shared the distressing journey her family faced when her young daughter developed a compulsive hair-pulling habit that led to noticeable bald patches. The 36-year-old mother of two, who met her husband Tim Robards on the reality show The Bachelor, detailed the ordeal on her health and wellness podcast In Your Skin.
A Traumatising Discovery
Robards, who has daughters Elle, 5, and Ruby, 2, recalled the moment she realised something was seriously wrong. “I was seriously lost because for a good six months to over a year my daughter was pulling out her hair,” she said. “I didn’t know what it was, or what I could do. I was looking up so many things and nothing gave me an answer. I didn’t even know who to go to and speak to. It was actually quite traumatising for me and my husband because she was starting to get a bald patch at the back of her head.”
Extreme Measures
Desperate for a solution, Robards and her husband resorted to what she described as “extreme measures” — taping their daughter’s fingers together to prevent her from pulling her hair. “The reason she was pulling her hair is because she was sucking her fingers and then pulling her hair out with the other hand,” Robards explained. “And the only thing that would stop her is if she stopped sucking her fingers. But we couldn’t get her to stop sucking her fingers, so we had to tape her two fingers together.” The family continued this method for two months, which eventually broke the finger-sucking habit and, in turn, stopped the hair-pulling.
Expert Insight
Robards then consulted Dr Leona Yip, one of Australia’s leading dermatologists specialising in alopecia and scalp disorders, who provided clarity. Dr Yip explained that Elle likely had trichotillomania, a body-focused repetitive behaviour (BFRB) characterised by an irresistible urge to pull out one’s own hair, leading to noticeable hair loss and distress. “In children it is just a compulsive habit, like sucking your thumb,” Dr Yip said. “And they usually do that because they’re a bit bored, or they’re just tired and they’re watching TV. They don’t think about it, it’s just something that they do — whether it’s a habit, or it’s for fun. They grow out of it.”
Dr Yip noted that hair-pulling in children can sometimes follow other issues like head lice or an itchy scalp, while in teenagers and adults it may reflect deeper emotional problems. She advised that in most children, it is a habit that will resolve with gentle reminders not to do it. She also endorsed Robards’ method of taping fingers together, provided it did not cause the child distress.
Reflections and Advice
Robards reflected on the stressful period, saying, “It was extreme but she got used to it because it was the only solution for us. And if we didn’t do that, she honestly would have the biggest bald patch.” She added that it took a long time for the hair to grow back, but the condition has finally settled. Dr Yip advised that anyone experiencing hair or scalp issues should first consult a GP before turning to social media serums that promise quick fixes.
