How to Promote Baby Hair Growth Naturally: A Parent’s Guide
Hair growth in babies varies differently among them. Some are born with hair and some have just follicles on their heads. Newborns may have tiny strands of hair or almost all of their heads may be covered in strands. It is also possible that a baby might have neither of those.
In most cases, during the 14th week of pregnancy, hair follicles start developing and about 6–8 weeks later, the hair growth starts. But it doesn’t always happen because a baby with no hair may be delivered too.
A baby that is born with hair can lose its hair after a few weeks of delivery. It really concerns the parents but it’s quite normal because after the hair cycle is complete, the hair starts growing back. By reading this article, you will get the ways how to promote baby hair growth.
Factors Affecting Baby Hair Growth
Genetics
Hereditary characteristics are the main reasons behind newborns’ hair growth.
Mother’s nutrition
Overall intake of the mother’s diet during pregnancy can also prove to be a factor in hair growth.
Hormones
Hormonal secretion inside the baby’s body also determines the thickness and quantity of the hair outside the body.
How to Increase Baby Hair Growth After Birth
Nutritional Support
A balanced diet for the breastfeeding mother is very necessary for the good growth of the baby’s hair. The quality of the mother’s diet directly affects the thickness and quantity of the baby’s hair.
On the other hand, if the mother is taking an unbalanced diet, it causes poor hair growth because the baby isn’t getting enough nutrients from the breast milk. The diet must include,
- Proteins from meat, chicken, eggs, seafood, etc.
- Oils like vegetable oil, olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, etc.
- Vitamins of all types, and the most important is biotin, or vitamin B-7, which is necessary among all of them for better hair growth of the baby.
All these ingredients in the daily food can increase the hair growth of the baby.
Scalp Massages
The scalp is a layer of soft tissues that covers the head or, in simple words, it is the skin covering the head excluding the face.
Giving the scalp a massage increases the blood flow in the head, which may lead to healthy hair. The problem is that many people don’t know exactly how to give a scalp massage to the baby.
The right method of giving the scalp a massage is to place your fingers on the scalp of the baby and move your fingertips gently in a circular direction for a suitable time. This should be done twice a day, it can have positive effects on the hair growth of your baby.
Moisturize the Scalp
Another method to enhance hair growth is to keep the baby’s head moisturized. Scalp massage may or may not include the oil but using oil increases the efficiency. The following are the best baby-safe oils you can use to promote hair growth.
- Coconut oil
- Almond oil
- Castor oil
- Jojoba oil
Keep in notice that don’t put too much oil or too much pressure on the baby’s head, use oil after bathing it because, after the bath, oil acts more efficiently, and hence the rate of its working increases.
Use Baby Shampoos Regularly
Parents are usually scared to bathe babies. However, the baby must be given a bath at least once a week and its hair must be washed twice a week to prevent the accumulation of dirt particles on the scalp of the baby. Dirty hair makes the skin dry and leads to poor hair growth.
To increase the growth of the baby’s hair, parents can use different best baby shampoos, if not twice, once a week at least. Also, don’t forget to use moderately heated water for bathing the baby.
Avoid Tight Hairstyles
Tight hairstyles must be avoided because they cause breakage at certain points, which the parents definitely do not want to see.
Ponytails, strands, or any other type of hairstyle that pulls off the baby’s hair must be prevented. Instead, babies should be made to wear gentle hairstyles with the use of a comb.
Also, rotating the hairstyles can be a factor in preventing the falling of hair, try to change the hairstyle of the baby every day so that hair growth may boost.
Use Soft Pillows
When your baby starts using pillows, you should choose soft or silk pillowcases. These materials reduce friction and prevent hair from breaking. These also give the baby and its head a comfortable sleep and resting position.
Soft pillows help the baby’s head to slide gently, preventing the breakage of hair and the formation of tangles. Another advantage of using soft pillows is that they prevent the loss of moisture, which means they keep the head moist, which is important for promoting the hair growth of the baby.
Protection From Sun
Sun rays are by far the largest source of ultraviolet radiation for us that must not fall onto the head of the baby. Ultraviolet rays have many adverse effects on the hair growth.
These affect the immune system, make the medical conditions worsen, and change the hair cycle, hence affecting the hair growth of the baby. These rays can also cause discoloration, dryness, and falling off of hair.
To prevent all of this from happening, whenever you take your baby outdoors, you should put a hat on them to protect their scalp from UV radiation.
Avoid Common Hair Care Products
There are many common hair care products available in the market but all of those are not for babies. Most of them are for elders. Using such kinds of products on the scalp of a baby affects the growth of its hair negatively.
Also, there are some cheap products among them but one should never prioritize using them on their child’s head. They may contain harmful chemicals that can escalate hair fall.
Myth of Shaving The Head
It’s a very popular practice to shave the head of the newborn to increase hair growth. But many research studies have confirmed that it’s nothing but a myth. Shaving the head doesn’t help at all, it doesn’t make hair thick and grow faster. Hence, we should let the hair grow naturally.
Seek Medical Advice
If you notice any irregular behavior from the hair, like bad growth rate, weak hair, bald patches, or delayed growth, you should consult a doctor, so they can provide guidance and assistance for the betterment of hair growth of your baby.
The best is to let the hair grow naturally but ask your doctor if you notice any significant difference in growth rate.
How to Promote Baby Hair Growth in the Womb
Parents get worried about their kid’s body features since they get to know about the pregnancy. They want to ensure that their baby is living at its best inside the womb, getting all the essential nutrients. One of the main things that keep them worried is the quality and quantity of their babies’ hair.
For promoting baby hair growth inside the womb, the following measures can be the best for the mother to adapt.
Nutrient-Rich Diet
A mother’s diet must contain food products obtained from sources like proteins, vitamins, iron, zinc, etc. These food products are eggs, meat, avocados, legumes, etc. Similarly, a mother should take vegetables that promote hair growth.
Stay Hydrated
Mother must stay hydrated for the betterment of her health and her baby’s too. Proper hydration leads to better hair growth in babies
Avoid Stress
A pregnant woman should avoid stress, as it can negatively impact the baby’s health. High-stress levels can disturb the hormonal balance, especially estrogen, which is the basis of hair growth in babies. Avoiding stress can increase baby hair growth in pregnancy.
Avoid Harmful Intakes
Every parent should know that alcoholic consumption or intake of drugs is exceedingly harmful to both the baby’s health and hair.
Get Adequate Rest
If a mother is at rest, the baby rests too. The mother should ensure that she is getting adequate rest so the baby can enjoy better health.
Falling off of Hair After Birth
The hormonal secretion decreases rapidly after some time of the delivery and that is the absolute reason why a baby loses its hair.
As mentioned above, falling off of hair after a few weeks of birth is normal but is not at all for the mother herself. The parents want the hair of their baby to grow as soon as possible. You can follow the above steps to enhance your baby’s hair growth.
Final Words
Hair growth is different in different babies. It may take time to complete the hair cycle and grow the hair that meets the parents’ desires.
Applying all the methods mentioned above and remaining consistent with them can definitely promote a baby’s hair growth, which is what parents want for their child.
FAQs
How to promote baby hair growth naturally?
Ensuring that your baby gets all essential nutrients, stays hydrated, and is protected from harmful UV radiation can promote natural hair growth.
How to promote baby hair growth at home?
Giving the baby’s head a massage with fingertips using oil or certain moisturizers, and washing the hair twice a week can enhance the growth.
What are the signs that your baby will have a lot of hair?
Family background determines it. Also, if the mother has a good, healthy scalp and stronger hair, then there are chances that the baby will also have a lot of hair.
How to promote baby hair growth on the forehead?
Giving massage on the forehead using oils such as coconut oil, almond oil, etc, can increase the growth of hair on the forehead.
