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Every baby would either get born with a full head of healthy locks or sparse hair. However, as parents, we always want our babies to have healthy hair, and luckily we can achieve this when we implement the right baby hair care.
Your baby’s hair follicles start to develop from the 14th or 15th week while they are still in the womb and even if it doesn’t appear so, for babies born with a bald crown, there is the fact that the strands will start to grow as the weeks go by.
To increase the chances of your baby’s hair growing fast and healthily too, here are nine baby hair care tips you want to start Implementing right away:
1. Shampoo Clean.
Babies’ scalps are quite tender and sensitive, however, they bear some similarities with an adult, and leaving sweat and dirt to build up on your baby’s scalp will lead to hair breakage, just like it would with an adult.
Therefore, unlike an adult scalp, you want to be gentle when washing your baby’s hair.
Wash gently, giving light strokes back and forth a few times to rid it of the dirt. Shop for baby hair shampoo.
2. Oil Massage.
This is one of the easiest baby hair care tips you can implement for healthy hair growth.
Since new hair strands start to sprout from the sixth month of your baby’s life, you want to take advantage of this to promote healthy hair.
Massaging the scalp improves the flow of blood to the scalp, as it takes more nutrients to your baby’s hair follicles to nourish them. It also helps loosen dirt to keep the scalp clean.
You should gently massage any baby-friendly oil like coconut oil or olive oil into the hair for a few minutes and leave it in until the next wash.
How often should you carry out this massage? You want to get it done not more than three to four times per week to avoid irritating the scalp.
3. Keep Hair Tangle-Free.
You will find that most newborns have hair that is prone to tangling, especially if you let it grow long. While this can seem harmless to you, it can cause some discomfort to your baby when it’s time to comb and also lead to shedding.
What you want to do to prevent this is to use a baby-friendly conditioner every time you shampoo. Besides leaving the hair tangle-free, this conditioner will also replace whatever oil was lost from the shampooing, leaving your baby’s scalp well-moisturized.
4. Gentle Combing.
Another baby hair care tip to put into the most important-list Is how a baby’s hair should be combed.
Of course, due to your baby’s soft scalp, you don’t want to go brushing several times a day. Combing, not brushing, (since the hair strands are soft anyways), would suffice to leave your baby well-groomed.
You also don’t need to comb more than once or twice daily. If you feel your baby’s hair is all over the place hours after combing, using your fingers to smoothen the strands will see them sleeked back once again.
5. Trim Regularly To Remove Split Ends.
This is another adult hair care tip but also works well for babies. Trimming your baby’s hair every few months helps remove split ends.
Since split ends lead to brittle and damaged hair, implementing this baby hair care tip ensures your baby keeps a healthy head of hair every time.
6. Right Product.
This is perhaps the most important baby hair care tip you want to implement.
Most parents would just go ahead to use their hair products for their baby and while this might seem harmless, it actually isn’t.
These adult products are way too harsh for your baby’s scalp and will cause a lot of harm over time.
There are a lot of baby products that are certified safe for babies which you can purchase from your local store or online and these are the only products you should use. Shop for baby-friendly hair care products.
7. Eat Healthily.
This is the best hair care advice to implement for its multiple benefits.
This baby hair care tip is easy to implement, especially for moms breastfeeding.
Breast milk contains the right nutrients for babies in the right amount and this, taken often, will help nourish your baby’s hair follicles.
Once your baby gets introduced to solids from the sixth month, you want to make a conscious effort to ensure they continue to get these necessary nutrients.
Some nutrients for healthy hair growth for both adults and babies include; Vitamins A, B, C, D, and E, biotin, protein, zinc, omega-3, and fatty acids and you can get these in foods like; egg yolks, liver, legumes, nuts, and seeds, sweet potatoes, mackerel, salmons, soybeans, whole grains, dairy products and veggies like spinach and sprout.
Even after your baby goes on solids, you want to continue giving breast milk occasionally.
Health experts like The American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization recommend not just breastfeeding your baby exclusively for six months, but giving breast milk during mixed feeding for up to two years.
Not only is this a cheaper food option for you, but it also boosts your baby’s immunity, reducing their risks of developing certain health complications much later in life.
8. Avoid Tight Hairstyles.
Certain hairstyles are also strongly discouraged to promote healthy hair in babies.
These hairstyles, while they might leave your baby looking adorable, pull too much at your baby’s tender strands, leading to breakage.
Tight ponytails and all other hairstyles that visibly pull at your baby’s scalp should be avoided, as not only do they leave your baby very uncomfortable, but they could also lead to a condition known as traction alopecia and receding hairline.
Simple, no-fuss hairstyles are the best for babies, however, if you feel your baby’s hair is too plain after styling, then you could look into beautifying it with a few baby-friendly hair accessories. Shop for baby-friendly hair accessories.
9. Give It Time.
Lastly, healthy hair grows a quarter to half an inch every month. If you are working to prevent split ends and breakage, then be rest assured that in a few months, your baby’s accumulated hair growth will be visible and you will see the healthy hair you want.
You just have to give it some time and continue implementing the right baby hair care tips for your baby.
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