Baby Hair: Guide to taking care of baby's precious locks

Having an infant at home can be challenging when you are a first timer at handling children. Cleaning their hair is another challenge as the baby is very tiny and his/her head is very sensitive. Baby hair is a common problem newly parents worry about. Some worry about their child having too much hair and some worry about having little too less.  

Babies are born with a specific number of hair follicles. These hair follicles determine whether the child will have straight, wavy or curly hair. It also shows how much hair the baby will have while growing up.

During the first few months, you will see rapid changes in your baby’s growth, including his/her hair. During these time, you might see your baby is having hair loss. Then again, there are infants who are born bald or with only two or three strands of hair. Let us assure you that this is completely normal.

Those who have hair loss because of hormone balance changes tend to get their hair back within a few months. However, for the children who are born bald, they might end up growing back within a year or two. There are artificial ways of growing your baby’s hair fast like special hair medicines prescribed by dermatologists but it is advisable to go for the natural process for a healthy hair growth. You can still try –
 

• Wash your baby’s scalp with a baby shampoo
• Massage the scalp with fingers to promote blood circulation
• Provide foods that contain biotin, vitamin B-1, B-7, Thiamine etc.

We know how much you would love to see your baby have lovely hair on his/her head, but there are some things that you must remember while taking care of your baby’s hair. Here are some of the points that you must avoid.

If you wash your child’s hair regularly with a shampoo then chances are it will extract all the natural oil from the hair and will make it dry and damaged. It is better to shampoo only once or twice a week to let the hair breathe and grow on its own course of time.

Combing on a regular basis can cause the hair particles to get damaged and break easily. Also, as the baby’s scalp is very sensitive, it is better to avoid combs to keep the hair healthy.

If you have planned to give your child a Mohawk hairstyle or decorate it lots of bows then you need to stop. The first months are very sensitive for the baby and experimenting with the various hairstyles including extensions, colours etc. can cause the baby to lose his/her hair permanently.

Always aim for products like shampoos, soap, body wash, lotion etc. to be mild and chemical-free. Harsh ingredients like Sodium Laureth Sulfate can damage the hair follicles and cause hair loss.

Have you ever noticed lines on the back of your child’s head? Although it looks like a natural flaw but it is actually cause by how the child sleeps. As most of the time the baby is sleeping facing upwards, the pillow or car seat tends to extract the moisture from your baby’s hair and make it dry. A satin headrest can keep the baby’s head safe and the hair as well.

Here are some of the dos that you should follow in order to keep your child’s hair growing in a healthy manner.

By washing the hair twice a week, you will allow the hair to preserve the natural oils and keep the hair protected from damage.

Sometimes when your baby has a good amount of hair from birth, it becomes essential to give a haircut. You need to keep in mind that within the first few weeks the child will have many hormonal changes. You should wait at least a month before giving a haircut. Even if you go for a haircut, try going for something easygoing.

Avoid shampoos that contain harsh chemicals as it can damage the hair. Babies have more sensitive hair than us and not to mention a delicate scalp. Go for shampoos that are specially designed for baby hair.

Combing the child’s hair is opposite to combing a grownup’s hair. In contrast to grownups, combing a child’s hair while it is wet allows to entangle their hair faster and it can also stimulate their blood circulation.

It is very necessary to massage the scalp every day to promote hair growth. Try avoiding combs and use fingers in circular motion to massage the scalp. It will help the baby to relax and also stimulate the scalp for a healthy hair growth.

You know how important it is to use a sensitive, mild shampoo to wash your child’s hair. Their skin is very thin and using a shampoo that is hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, sulfate-free and non-drying will help the baby to grow his/her hair naturally. Here are some of the options for you:

This mild shampoo comes with a pH level of 6.0-7.0 which helps to gently wash away the dryness, cradle cap, eczema, psoriasis, baby acne, heat rash, diaper rash & other skin irritations. The best part is it is 100% organic, vegan, gluten-free, and free of hormone disruptors.

Find the product from here.

This well-known company for baby products produces a shampoo that is hypoallergenic, paediatrician-tested and free of parabens, phthalates, sulfates and dyes. This is a mild shampoo that does not irritate the baby’s skin, even the eyes while shampooing.

Find the product here.

A moisturizing shampoo dedicated to gently cleanse your child’s hair as well as keep it hydrated. It is tear-free, hypoallergenic and sulfate-free.

Get this product from here.

This shampoo is specially designed with natural oats extracts. It is dedicated for the sensitive baby skin. You can use it for everyday shampooing. It will leave your baby with a fresh fragrance after every wash.

Get this product from here.

This body and hair wash is a biodegradable formula which is fortified with Vitamin B5. It contains 90% plant-based ingredients including Avocado Perseose which keeps the scalp hydrated and clean.

Get this product from here.

Although we hear all the time that massaging oil on the scalp helps to stimulate blood circulation and help hair growth. However, as children have a very sensitive and thin skin, oiling their hair can clog the skin pores and affect the hair growth negatively.

However, if you want to apply a little amount of oil to moisturize the hair then go for baby oils that are formulated with vitamin E, aloe vera and other essential oils. As children have hormonal changes during the first few months, you should avoid using natural oils like coconut oil, olive oil before your baby is minimum five months old.

The whole point of this article is, you should not worry about your baby’s hair growth too much. It is a natural process that will occur within time. Some children grow hair fast and some take time up to two years. Even the hair the baby once had while birth can change with time. Their curly hair can turn straight, black hair can get brown and so on.

Just stop worrying and enjoy the precious little changes. Whatever the hair type is, your baby will look amazing no matter what.