When the umbilical cord is cut, your baby's estrogen levels suddenly drop after birth. This results in massive hair loss. However, the lost hair will quickly grow back once your baby's hormones have settled.
Baby hair - growth
Hair always grows in phases. The growth phase lasts for three years. This is followed by a three to four month rest period when hair growth pauses. The paused phase completes the hair cycle and lasts about three weeks.
Within the first two years of life, your child's hair cycle slowly adapts to that of an adult. Despite healthy hair growth, it can happen that your baby gets a bald spot on the back of the head. This is because they lie on their backs a lot and the small back of their head is exposed to a lot of friction when lying down. This puts stress on your child's hair roots, causing them to lose hair regularly.
Babies' hair colour
Don't worry if you notice this bald patch because the hair will grow back on its own over time and your baby won't be left with any bald spots. Your child's hair colour may change over the course of their life. The first hairs are only slightly pigmented and can darken over time - depending on which hair color is genetically predetermined. So, don't be surprised if your blonde baby eventually grows brown hair. It is a good sign that the hair pigment production is working well.
Baby hair - care
When you wash your baby's hair, start with a soft, damp sponge and lukewarm water to stimulate and clean your baby's scalp. Once the hair on their head has grown a bit thicker, you can also use mild, unscented baby shampoos. However, be careful not to put any pressure on their small head when shampooing, as the fontanel is not yet closed and is therefore very sensitive. You should also keep water away from your child's face and make sure it drains backwards because babies don't like it at all when water or even shampoo runs into their faces. After cleaning, dry the head very carefully with a cosy towel. If you want, you can then carefully smooth the hair with a soft baby brush. You should avoid using a hair dryer. While you're washing your child's hair, talk to your child and make them feel positive and relaxed so that you can both enjoy the time together.
You should avoid shaving or cutting your baby's hair early as this has no effect on hair growth. It might look like baby's hair is growing back thicker afterwards, but this is only because you have cut off the thin ends. Have a little patience - after a while your little one will have a full head of hair.
