Hair Loss In Infants
Many infants are born with full heads of hair. They then start losing this during the first six months after they are born. Usually this loss occurs because of hormonal changes that the baby’s body experiences, just like the mother goes through changes. Right after the baby is born, the hormone levels that are present in both the baby and mother during pregnancy, decrease. This can result in hair going into a resting state and it stops growing. This is followed by loss of hair or shedding. When there is a great deal of lost hair at once it is called telogen effluvium. The shedding phase will usually stop within a fairly short time.
After a baby’s initial head of hair is shed, new hair grows in. The texture and color of this hair may be completely different. It is very common for a baby who had black and straight hair to grow hair back that is blond and curly. It might be sparser as well, unlike the thick hair that your baby might have had previously.
The time and rate at which a baby’s hair re-grows or falls off will vary from one infant to the next. In some cases, a new head of hair might re-grow in six months. In other cases, it may not grow until the infant is two or three years old.
How To Take Care Of Your Baby’s Hair
Although your child’s hair will grow back according to its own pace, the following are some things you can do to help take good care of whatever hair your baby happens to have.
– Your infant’s hair doesn’t need to be shampooed on a daily basis. Do it at bath time, and use a tearless and mild shampoo.
– Massage the shampoo into your baby’s scalp gently. Washing too vigorously will promote hair loss.
– When brushing your baby’s hair a hairbrush that has soft bristles should be used, or a wide-tooth comb, so that your baby’s hair isn’t pulled.
– Avoid using headbands and ponytails, since they can bind your child’s hair too tightly, which can cause damage.
– If necessary, trim your infant’s hair. However, only do this when your baby is rested and has eaten.
– Try alternating the sleeping position of your baby and encourage tummy time to ensure that certain spots on your child’s head that may be prone to balding get a rest.
Other Causes Of Baby Hair Loss
Infant Babies may also lose hair from sitting or sleeping in the same position for too long. If that is the case, you might notice that your child’s hair comes out in patches, usually from parts of the head that are rested on quite frequently. If he usually rubs his head on the mattress or rests his head against the seat, he might develop a bald spot there.
There are other reasons why a baby might develop bald patches, although these tend to be rare in infants younger than one years old. They include the following:
– Ringworm: bald spots will often have scaling, flaky, red skin. Sometimes where the hair is broken there may be black spots.
– Traction alopecia: this is frequently caused by ponytails that are too tight or other issues that may pull out or physically damage hair.
– Trichotillomania: this takes place with an older infant pulls on her or his own hair compulsively, which can result in irregular bald patches forming.
– Alopecia areata: this where the body’s immune system attacks the hair follicles, which cause all body hair to be lost or isolated bald patches.
– Hypopituitarism and hypothyroidism may cause bald areas. Disclaimer: Information on this website is not medical or dental advice, its for general information only. For more accurate medical and dental information please contact your pediatrician and dentist.