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Locks We Love
Curly, wispy, wild, peach-fuzzy—isn't baby hair the best?
We uncover the mysteries behind your little one’s wacky 'do.
HAIR TODAY…
Many newborns arrive with a thick head of hair, but they often loose it by 2 or 3 months, says Joanne Cox, M.D., medical care director of primary care at Children’s Hospital Boston. Some infant’s hair only fall out on top.
A baby’s second round of hair can take months to grow in and maybe totally different—but it will probably be the color and texture she’ll have throughout childhood. Kids’ hair may change again during puberty.
BALD IS BEAUTIFUL
About a third of babies have hardly any hair at all. If you were born bald, there's a very good chance that your baby will be too, says dermatologist Nelson Lee Novick, M.D., author of Baby Skin. Most babies will grow plenty of hair by the time they turn 1—when you have a girl, though, this can feel like a particularly long wait. Some infants also develop bald spots from always sleeping in the same position. If you notice this happening, make sure you tilt your baby's head to alternating sides each night.
GENTLE ON HAIR
You’ll only need to wash your baby’s hair once or twice a week. Just lather up a dab of baby shampoo, rub it delicately on the scalp, and wipe the suds away with a wet washcloth. Cradle cap—white or yellowish scales that are caused by oil glands on the scalp—is actually a form of dandruff. Don’t pick at it! You can apply a little mineral oil or baby oil to your child’s scalp and then use a soft toothbrush to lightly remove the loose scales. If that doesn’t help, pediatricians say it’s safe to use a dandruff shampoo a few times a week.
PRETTY CAREFUL
If you have a girl, it may be hard to resist cute accessories, but barrettes are a chocking hazard for children under age 3. Since baby hair is fine, a clip can easily fall out and wind up in your daughter’s mouth or poke her in the eye, explains Jennifer Trachtenberg, M.D., author of Good Kids, Bad Habits. Skip stretchy headbands except for brief photo ops; they can give a child a headache and irritate her skin—or become a strangulation hazard if a band falls down around your baby’s neck and gets caught on something. Pulling hair tightly into cornrows can lead to hair loss, says Lillian M. Beard, M.D., associate clinical professor of pediatrics at George Washington University School of Medicine, in Washington D.C. Avoid cornrows until your baby's hair is at least three inches long so you can braid it more loosely.
STUBBORN STRANDS
Your little one might end up with zany curls, a perky cowlick, or a natural Mohawk—no matter how hard you try to tame, flatten, or clip her hair into submission. This is probably because the chemical bonds that give hair its texture are still developing, says Dr. Novick. Quirky hair usually grows out or settles down by a baby's first birthday, so for now, don't stress about it-and take lots of pictures!
Hairy Moment
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University Medical Institutions surveyed a group of mothers and found that 82 percent of those who’d had heartburn during pregnancy gave birth to a baby with an average or above-average crop of hair, while most of the women who didn’t have heartburn had a baby with little or no hair.
Is your baby ready for his first haircut? Get survival tips and tricks from the pros at parentsmag.com.
Photographs by Jim Franco