Caring for your baby's hair is one of the simple joys of parenting. Whether your baby was born with a full head of hair or almost none at all, there are a few tips that can promote healthy hair growth, reduce tangles, and help keep your baby more comfortable. Here are four essential tips for baby hair care that every parent should know.
1. Use Tear-Free Shampoo, But Not Every Day
Tear-free shampoo is the best way to make hair care enjoyable for your baby. In addition to preventing eye irritation, tear-free shampoos are full of the best nutrients and moisturizers for healthy hair in infants. You can apply a small amount of shampoo to a damp washcloth and gently massage your baby's scalp, and then rinse the washcloth to wipe away the shampoo.
Regular shampooing prevents dry scalp and nourishes your baby's hair, but using shampoo too often can be detrimental to healthy hair. Overwashing an infant's hair can cause dry scalp by removing natural oils from the hair, and it may cause hair to become brittle. Wash your baby's hair only as needed, and try to avoid washing more than a couple times each week. To learn more about tear-free shampoos, contact a company like Nicole + Brizee.
2. Use Tangle-Reducing Products
Soft curls are an endearing characteristic of baby hair, but many infants have runaway curls that make them more prone to tangles and knots. Fortunately, nourishing conditioners are available that can tame your baby's wild curls and make knots occur less frequently.
It's impossible to prevent your baby's hair from being knotty one hundred percent of the time, and knots can sometimes appear at the most inopportune times. When you're in a rush to get ready or short on time in general, spray detangler can save the day. Most spray detanglers can be used on wet or dry hair so you can remove knots and tangles immediately after bathing your baby.
3. Try Common Cradle Cap Remedies
Cradle cap is a harmless, dandruff-like condition that appears in infants from six to twelve months of age according to the National Eczema Association (NEA). While the cause of cradle cap is not well understood, parents have found success reducing the severity of cradle cap with a few different remedies.
The NEA recommends treating cradle cap with topical antifungal cream, as the condition is thought to be related to yeast on the skin. Other potential solutions for cradle cap include massaging the hair with baby oil or mineral oil and using low-potency hydrocortisone cream. Regular washing will also help to reduce cradle cap symptoms.
4. Learn a Few Hair Trimming Tricks
When it's time for your baby's first haircut or another trim, there are a few tricks you should know that will give better results. A baby haircut should take into account the way that an infant's hair naturally grows. For example, you must be careful not to cut an infant's bangs too short because they grow back very slowly. If you try to cut down a cowlick, you may just end up with a smaller, more persistent one!
Perhaps the most important tip for amateur baby barbers to remember is to create a distraction during the haircut. If you don't focus their attention elsewhere, infants may decide that what you are doing is the most interesting thing around. This can lead to a lot of wiggling and turning to watch your hands that may make the haircut difficult. Having a favorite video or an entertaining partner can help things go much smoother.
Baby hair care is an easy and pleasant routine that every parent will come to enjoy. Remember these tips so you can get your baby on the right track for a lifetime of healthy hair!
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