Newborn Hair Loss
Though hair follicles develop in a fetus by the sixth month of pregnancy, some babies are born with absolutely no hair on their head while others have a thick growth of hair on their scalp at the time of birth. Some infants may also have reddish patches on their scalp or have minor bruise-like bumps on their heads, which gradually even out on their own. Caucasian babies have a greater incidence of being born bald or with very fine, light colored hair. The baby may also have hair of a color that is neither of the parents has. Usually, the fuzzy hair that some infants are born with falls off naturally within a few months and is replaced by a fresh growth of hair that may be of a different color than before. None of these is a cause for worry so long as your baby does not have any dermatological problem. Some infants have very fine and soft hair on their body called lanugo, especially on the back, shoulders and forehead. This is more common in prematurely born babies. Lanugo disappears naturally within a few weeks.
Newborn Hair Growth
Irrespective of whether your baby is born with a thick growth of hair or no hair at all, it is important that you take good care to keep her or his scalp. Make sure you keep your baby’s scalp clean all the time in order to prevent bacterial or fungal infections on its delicate and vulnerable scalp. In some cultures, the baby’s hair is shaved off before she or he is a year old in the belief that this aids faster hair growth. Though it may be easier to keep the baby’s scalp clean after his or her scalp has been shaven, it does not hold that the hair will grow faster or healthier as a result of this. Since infants have a very soft scalp and delicate hair, they do not need washing and shampooing every day. Untangle knots in the infant’s hair very gently using your fingertips before washing his or her hair. You should be very gentle while washing the baby’s scalp and hair. Use a mild baby shampoo and be careful not to hurt the soft, central portion of your baby’s head while drying the scalp. Use a baby comb with very soft bristles after drying the infant’s hair. Sometime, infants suffer from what is popularly known as “cradle cap”, a condition in which small, red flakes appear on the scalp. This can easily be treated through topical application of cortisone creams usually prescribed by doctors in such cases.
Tags: cradle cap, lanugo, newborn babies hair, newborn hair care, newborn hair falling out, newborn hair growth, newborn hair loss