2yo pulling out her hair

Wondering if anyone has had this? It started about 9 months ago where she would play with her hair and pull it out when she was tired. To the point that she had a bald spot. While I was in hospital with DS it got worse and someone suggested we cut her hair so it was so short she couldn't grab hold of it. We tried that about 6 months ago and gave her a buzzcut. Over the past few months I notice she is doing it again. We have had a fair amount of stress in our house lately which may have contributed but that is all over and I'm hoping we can get her out of the habit. We have tried asking her not to every time we see her and she is good, she takes her hand down straight away. She knows we don't like it but it is such a habit, she does it without thinking. And we can't remind her if she's doing it in her cot before she falls asleep.

Anyway- the plan is to cut her hair again, but this time keep cutting it for 6 months or so to try and break the habit completely. Does anyone have any other suggestions as I hate the thought of chopping off her curls again now that they've just come back. But I have to break this habit. My mums cousin still does it and he's in his 60s!

Subbing because my 3 year old does the same thing. She does it when tired and as she goes to sleep. I often find a big hair ball in her bed in the morning. Her hair is thin to begin with and she is getting bald spots. I have tried tying it up but because it is so thin I can only do pigtails and then she pulls from around the edges of the bottom of the bunch.

I don't know what to do about it.

It is probably a comfort thing, and because of that I wonder if it is better to redirect her onto something else, rather than try to stop it entirely. For example, when you put her to bed you could try a big soft hairy toy, or a doll, or a blanky. Or you could try her with a soft beanie for sleeping and push her hair under it so she can't do it automatically and then have something else there for her to stroke/pull etc.

I also think its a comfort thing. redirection may help.
a course of rescue remedy might help or just at the time. we use to get the pastilles and they were great to have on hand.

I would suggest seeking some professional help regarding possible anxiety/stress.
Hugs, you've had a rough year, I hope it sorts out soon
Xxx

That's tough Glenny. It does sound like an anxiety thing, which would mean that even if you cut her hair off, she would need to replace it with something else or she would just start it again when her hair grows again. And rather than cut her hair off, do you think a bandana or something similar over her hair would help her stop? If she still does it after trying other methods to stop it, maybe try to teach her how to do it gently (lol!!) so she doesn't actually pull the hair out, but still gets the comfort of twirling it? I have NO idea how you would do that though.....
Does she have a blanky or comfort toy? Maybe try to replace the hair habbit with stroking the toy, or get a doll with hair that she could twirl instead of her own. Or maybe a silky ribbon to twirl.
I do agree with treating possible anxiety too though. Have you seen a professional since MrC's illness, for her at all? Maybe some rescue remedy or mild relaxing oils to burn in her room before bed.

She has a teddy in bed that she cuddles. We were hoping that would replace the hair pulling but no luck. I think it would be too hot here overnight to put a beanie on her.
I might talk to my gp about it. See if he thinks we should get help for her.
Rescue remedy is a good idea.

Hun google trichotillomania. Also trichitillomania learning center. It's a recognized psychological disorder, and there are treatments. Hugs xo

I've read up on that and spoke to my paed when she first started. He said they don't diagnose before 5 as many kids do it for a variety of reasons and most grow out of it. Guess I'm just wondering how to speed up the "growing out" of it

a little bracelet might help? something she can play with 1 hand

Sounds like stress/anxiety related. A friends DD did the same thing when under stress from her DS (Her DS was a handful). I can't remember what she did but it was some form of redirection

Just popping in to add that it seems (touch wood!) that my DD1 has outgrown this. She was doing it whenever she was tired and especially as she went to sleep but we have just been on a big trip away and she had DH sitting with her as she went to sleep and she seems to have forgotten all about it. I have only seen her doing it once or twice in the last few weeks, rather than multiple times daily.