Baby hair can be…well, interesting. Whether your baby was born with a head full of hair or as bald as a bullet, the truth is that baby hair often changes over time, whether you like it or not. So, how long does it take for baby’s hair to grow? The answer might surprise you! Stick around for answers to this and other baby hair related questions in today’s post.
How Long Does It Take For Baby Hair to Grow?
To answer the question of how long does it take for a baby to grow hair, one must first realise that the answer will depend on a variety of factors.
If your little one is one of the cuties that comes out completely bald, you can expect your baby to grow some hair… eventually. While many will begin to see hair grow within the first couple of months, the truth is that hair growth, along with the quality, colour and texture of hair, is all dependant upon genetics and hormones.
When Do Babies Grow Hair?
Speaking of hormones, let’s talk about those babies who come out with full and luscious manes. As beautiful as those manes often are, it may come as a surprise to many parents that that hair likely will not stay put.
Shocked? Don’t be.
It is believed that because of the surge of hormones in the mother’s body, the baby is also affected by these hormones causing the hair on the baby’s head to grow healthy and strong. This is also the reason that many mums-to-be discover their own hair to be thick, glossy and growing, as well.
The catch is that after birth, this hormone surge drops…significantly. As a result, both mum and baby are likely to shed hair, and a lot of it, making that bushy mane your baby was born with go kaput within the first 6 months of life. Take a quick peek at this article for an even more detailed explanation of why babies lose their hair.
When Do Babies Get a Full Head of Hair?
Going back to our beautiful bald babies, let’s discuss when you might begin to see a full head of hair. Remember, this depends largely on the child and his or her genes. More often than not, however, many children have a full and healthy mane by age 2, although this isn’t necessarily the standard for all children. For a detailed explanation of when and how bald babies grow hair, check out this article about when bald babies may start growing their hair.
How Long Does It Take For Baby Hair to Grow Back
How Long Does It Typically Take For Hair on a Baby to Grow Back?
The answer to how long does it take for a baby’s hair to grow back is tricky. It will depend on why they lost their hair in the first place.
For example, those whose hair was rubbed out by the friction of having been laid on their backs for sleep, which is the right thing to do by the way, may take a little longer to grow those bald patches back in. Typically, the hair will come back after the child is able to roll onto his or her tummy and to sit up, though this won’t be an instantaneous event.
On the other hand, for those babies who have lost their first hair and are attempting to grow it back, the new growth will begin to grow almost immediately. Just bear in mind that this regrowth of hair is likely to be much more different than what it had been. It could grow in coarser, thicker, straighter or curlier than before. Their hair may even change colour. It all depends on your baby’s genetics.
Baby Hair Growth
So, how long does it take for baby girl’s hair to grow? And how long does it take for baby boy’s hair to grow?
Typically, gender has nothing to do with hair growth. And to put some of the myths to rest, shaving your baby’s hair will not cause it to grow thicker, nor will it cause your baby’s hair to become “bad” or more coarse.
Baby hair growth has little to do with the surface hair you cut off, and more to do with how many follicles are present and the proper nourishment of these follicles. For better or thicker hair, styling products will make a difference, along with a balanced diet and overall good hygiene and nutrition.
Baby Hair Growth Tips
How Can I Stimulate My Baby’s Hair to Grow?
Want your baby’s hair to grow a little faster than it currently is? Though there is no definite way to speed along the process, there are things you can do to hinder additional fall out and to promote healthy new growth. Try these ideas:
- Get the Right Brush: To begin, you’ll want to get your hands on the right brush that is both gentle and effective in stimulating your baby’s scalp to promote growth. Check out this baby brush set, perfect for infants and toddlers. It features soft and all-natural bristles and can aid in promoting growth, while also getting rid of scaling that shows up often referred to as “cradle cap ” on baby’s head.
- Use the Right Products: Choosing the “right” product for your baby’s hair will depend on the texture of the hair, the type of hair they have and the age of the child. Never use products that are too harsh on your baby’s hair, skin and scalp as this might inhibit healthy growth. Beware also of over moisturising the hair, or even over-stripping the hair, as both could lead to fall out. The best thing to do is to observe your child’s hair and to buy products that match the type of hair they have. Some parents love products like pure coconut oil for baby tresses while for others, something this thick may weigh baby hair down or even cause breakouts. Be sure to also go with the flow… as your baby’s hair changes, the products you use may need to change too.
- Don’t Give Into Myths: Unfortunately, there are a ton of myths out there that seem to indicate that there is a way to actually make your baby’s hair grow back in longer and thicker. This simply isn’t true. Trust us… bread crusts won’t make hair curly and shaving won’t make hair grow back in thicker.
- Do Keep Up With Trims: Although shaving and trimming won’t necessarily make hair grow back in thicker, it can be said that shaving or trimming hair can certainly make hair appear more even. When this occurs, it may seem as though hair is thicker, only because the ends or more blunt, or evenly, cut. Another benefit of trimming is that it can remove dead ends which promotes hair growth by preventing breakage.
- Use Disguising Mechanisms: As you patiently wait for your little one’s hair to make an appearance, or re-appearance in some cases, you may wish to use some disguising methods to cover up bald or patchy spots while you are out and about. Try a cute little sun hat or an extra wide headband with a flower or bow to distract from areas struggling to come in.
- Start All Over: Want to simply start over? It can be easy to get to this point, especially when your baby has patchy or bald spots, or if your baby is pulling his or her hair out. After you’ve remediated the problem causing the patchiness or baldness, you may wish to “start again” by shaving or trimming your baby’s hair down. While this isn’t for everyone, it may help even out your baby’s hair appearance. No matter what you decide, always wait to do the first trim until your baby can at least sit up on his or her own to make the trimming or shaving process safer and easier.
- Mittens: Yes, baby mittens are typically for keeping your baby from scratching his or her face, but they are also very useful for keeping your baby from pulling his or her hair out out of boredom or during a crying spell.
- Skip Ponytails and Braids: We all know how cute it can be to tie baby hair into ponytails or to do them up in braids. But honestly, pulling your baby’s hair taut like that for extended periods of time can put strain on your baby’s hair follicles. It can also promote breakage. Instead, leave your baby’s hair loose to encourage natural growth. Consider a bold headband to help with styling.
- Maintain a Healthy Diet: Last but not least, make sure to offer your child plenty of variety when it comes to what they eat. If your baby is on breast milk or formula, continue on with that. If solids, try to keep things interesting. Avoid feeding the same foods over and over again. This likely won’t expose your little one to all of the nutrients available to them.
Baby Hair Growth Is Achievable
When it comes to taking care of baby hair, make no mistake…it can be tricky.
Nevertheless, once you’ve navigated the first year of hair woes, you will likely get a good feel for which products and habits to keep. Take note of what your baby’s hair and scalp respond best to for health and natural hair growth.
For even more information on healthy baby hair, check out our blog:
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