Caring for your baby's hair - Tips and Tricks for Parents

Caring for your baby's hair - Tips and Tricks for Parents 04May

Okay, first thing’s first – we need to address the fact that babies aren’t all created equal. This means that they may have a full head of hair upon being born or be completely bald! That’s totally normal.

But that doesn’t mean that this blog entry is just meant for parents with kids who have long locks – far from it.

Caring for your baby’s head and scalp (with hair or not, it’ll grow eventually!) is something that parents all need to learn. So, let’s discuss some of the tips, tricks, facts, and frequently asked questions you may have about caring for your loved one’s hair.

 

1. Shampooing

Like you, your baby is going to need shampoo. You don’t want your baby’s brittle and thin hair to be engulfed in sweat and dirt all the time.

Also, having more suds doesn’t necessarily mean a better clean. Baby’s thin hair doesn’t need a lot of suds – as such, you’ll find that most baby wash products use very gentle cleansing agents that produce fewer suds. But don’t let this fool you, as they can still clean perfectly well. Thus, you only need a small amount of lather in our baby wash & shampoo product.

 

2. Dealing with a Cradle Cap (Infantile seborrheic dermatitis)

A cradle cap may appear on your baby’s head, which is like a thick, crusty, and scaly patches on the scalp. While this can clear up on its own, it can be pretty annoying, since the patches are quite difficult to remove. The probable cause for this happening may be hormones from mommy that can cause too much production of oil in the glands and follicles on the hair. It’s not caused by poor hygiene, so don’t stress yourself out if you see it on your young one.

Again, the best advice here is to use a mild shampoo every other day to prevent it from happening. Make sure that the formulation for the shampoo is just mild unless the doctor recommends a stronger product.

 

3. Moisturizing

This is important, but especially crucial if your baby is bald. Moisturizing your baby’s scalp can keep it soft and smooth, helping your baby avoid dandruff that can be caused by dryness. A common and go-to moisturizing ingredient found in baby wash products is coconut oil -- and this can even be applied on by itself. What's more is that it has great antioxidant properties to boost the hair’s strength. The same goes with chamomile, which can help calm down an irritated scalp.

Avocado is another popular option for providing moisture and hydration, while also promoting hair growth. This is the same case for vanilla, with a scent that is loved by many.

You can also comb your little one’s scalp with a soft, large-toothed comb, which can stimulate the porous openings to help produce sebum – the natural oil on the scalp and skin.

 

4. On trimming your little one’s hair

We highly recommend having your baby’s hair trimmed every now and then, simply to prevent split ends, as well as dryness. Babies are also typically more comfortable when they have short hair while making maintenance less of a problem. They can grow their hair long when they’re older.

 

5. Adult products are a no-no

You should never use adult products on your baby’s soft and sensitive skin. The harsh chemicals formulated for adult hair and skin types can irritate or, in the long run, harm your baby.

Babyology has specially formulated products that are designed specifically for your baby’s skin and hair. What’s more is that they’re made of organic and food grade ingredients, which ensures that cleansing is gentle yet effective.

 

6. Hair loss?

Hair loss among babies and children is oftentimes just dismissed as a simple problem that will eventually go away. Most of the time, it does. But for some, it doesn’t.

This can impact the child and parent in numerous, often psychological ways. Thus, its best to know what is happening and what can be done to prevent this.

First, we must know that in the first six months of your child’s life, your baby can lose birth hair, which is meant to fall off. This is akin to your own adult hair falling off from time to time. So, there’s usually no cause for concern.

Now, do know that it can be a serious case when the observed hair loss is excessive. Apart from this, if loss is accompanied by other symptoms such as a cradle cap (see above), a more severe infection, or other medical issues. For this, you’ll need to contact your doctor or a dermatologist.

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We hope that with these tips, and the right choice of products, you can help your baby develop a thick and healthy crop of hair, while also saving you, the parents, from the stress of the many challenges of parenthood.

If you want to learn more parenting tips, feel free to visit our blog!