Is It Normal For My Baby To Lose Their Hair
Newborn hair loss is perfectly normal and usually nothing to worry about. Almost all newborns lose some or all of their hair.
Many new babies are bald, although upon close examination of your baby’s scalp, you will probably see pale, downy, extra-fine hair. This type of baldness can sometimes last until a baby’s first birthday. Until then, enjoy the maintenance-free style!
How To Stop Hair From Falling Out
Loss of hair can be caused by stress, vitamin deficiency, hormonal disruption, or an allergic reaction to cosmetics.
Hair is composed primarily of keratin. The chevelure consists of a shaft, and a hair follicle immersed in the dermis and has access to healthy capillaries. The volume, color, and thickness of the hairline are partly dependent on heredity, but various factors affect the type of hair, its rate of growth, and loss.
Hair loss is a natural process, but if you notice increased loss with follicles, this may indicate pathological changes occurring in the body. In this case, it is necessary to contact a trichologist to establish the causes of the loss and select effective ways to deal with it.
Let’s see why hair sheds so much and how it can be stopped.
When Does Baby Hair Loss Occur
Most infants will lose some or all of their hair in the first six months after theyre born.Theres no set schedule, so it could happen right away after they come home from the hospital or it could hold off until theyre rolling from their back to their tummy and sitting up on their own.Fortunately, most babies will regrow their hair completely by the time they turn one. Even if they start losing their hair at six months old, everything will likely be back to normal in another six months.
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Does Your Child Need To See A Doctor About Hair Loss
Yes. You should take your child to see your GP if your child has:
- significant hair loss or thinning for no apparent reason
- an itchy or tender scalp
- a spongy lump under the area of hair loss
- hair loss and also has a fever, is drowsy, is in a lot of pain or is generally unwell.
If your child is losing hair from large areas and is feeling upset or stressed about it, it might be a good idea to ask your GP for a referral to a dermatologist.
Mention Baby Hair Loss To Your Pediatrician If Necessary
If youre worried about your babys hair loss, or if you notice any of the symptoms mentioned early in the article, talk to your pediatrician right away.
The doctor will either confirm that the problem is simply a result of hormones, or shell be able to let you know if its more serious. Either way, it will set your mind at ease and make you feel better. And thats good for both you and your baby.
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Promote Healthy Hair Growth
Baby hair doesnt need much attention. I love using coconut oil in my babys hair since it moisturizes from root to tip and is all natural. We do it once a week, which is more than enough.
If your little one has many curls, you might want to use a leave-in conditioner. It can be hard to comb out thick hair after a bath, not to mention painful for your child.
You can easily buy a leave-in conditioner. Or, if youre a mom who likes to DIY everything, like me you can make your own!
Heres a recipe we love:
- 1 ounce of coconut oil.
- 2 ounces of aloe vera gel.
- 1 teaspoon of avocado oil.
Shake up all ingredients in a spray bottle. Apply to damp hair, and youre good! Remember to shake it well before use.
There are many amino acids and proteins in avocado, which promote a healthy scalp and follicle growth .
Fun Fact
Why Do Babies Lose Their Hair
Don’t get too attached to your newborn’s hair, it won’t be around for long.
The first weeks and months of a baby’s life are full of big changes. But what new parents may not have expected are the tiny hairs left on their newborn’s mattress. After a few months, their baby’s once-full head of hair has become thin and patchy or nearly bald.
Fortunately, infant hair loss is rarely a concern. A fetus starts growing hair during the first trimester. But whether an infant is born with a layer of fuzz or a thick mop, all lose at least some hair. In fact, hair loss simply means an infant is making the huge adjustment to life outside the womb.
On an adult’s head, each strand of hair goes through a phase when it’s growing and when it’s not and when hair isn’t growing, it can also shed. At any given time, only a small percentage of your hair is in this latter stage, and only about 50 to 100 strands are lost per day. Not so for a newborn.
“Big hormonal shifts happen in a baby’s body after they are born, which can cause all of their hairs to enter the resting phase at the same time,” explained Sage Timberline, a pediatrician at the University of California, Davis, Children’s Hospital in Sacramento, California. That means all of a baby’s hair can shed at once.
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Medical Causes Of Hair Loss In Children
Infections, diseases, or deficiencies, such as tinea capitis, alopecia areata, trichotillomania, telogen effluvium, hypothyroidism, and nutritional deficiencies, are some of the most common medical causes of hair loss in children .
Tinea Capitis: Tinea capitis, also known as the ringworm of the scalp, is a scalp infection caused by fungi called dermatophytes. Overcrowding and poor hygiene can aggravate the infection as it spreads easily through physical contact and sharing of combs and other objects of personal hygiene. Patchy hair loss, black spots in the areas of hair loss, itching, redness, bumps on the scalp, brittle hair, swollen lymph glands, and low-grade fever are the symptoms of tinea capitis .
Dermatologists diagnose this infection with KOH microscopy and Woods lamp examination . In simple terms, the physician examines your childs scalp and sends a piece of the infected skin to a lab for diagnosis.
The affected child needs to take the prescribed antifungal drug for about eight weeks. Along with oral medication, using an antifungal shampoo prevents the spread of this infection.
Alopecia: Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system harms the cells in the hair follicles and causes the hair to fall out in patches . Depending on the pattern of hair loss, alopecia is classified into three types:
Is It Normal For Baby Hair To Fall Out At First
Your baby changes a lot every day, and that includes their hair. Baby hair loss is perfectly normal, and it often happens within the first six months. Some babies only lose a few strands at a time while others might develop bald spots. But dont panic, babys new locks should grow out again in no time. Hair growth typically has two phases.
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When Do Babies Lose Their Hair
Babies often lose their hair during the first six months. This kind of hair loss is called alopecia. The hair falls out and the new, mature hair hasnt yet come in. The hair usually grows back within a year.
Parents are sometimes surprised to discover that when a baby grows a new head of hair it’s a completely different color and texture than what he was born with. BabyCenter reader Julie’s son Will was born with a full head of thick black hair. “He looked just like Elvis he even had sideburns,” she says. “Both my husband and I are blond, and we wondered where the dark hair came from. Almost immediately after birth, though, it started falling out. The hair that replaced it is a beautiful wheat color.”
Change Your Babys Position
Is your baby spending a lot of time in the same position? Whether its in their crib or a stroller, you might need to change things up. Maybe your little one loves to sleep on their left side, which has resulted in a flat spot.
Dont be afraid to place your baby the opposite way in the crib. Since babies like to face outward, they typically lay with their head facing the light.
If such light is usually on their left side, try to lie them the other way, to gently encourage them to turn to the right. Your baby should do this naturally.
During car rides, your baby will likely be looking out the window beside them. This could cause them to spend a little too long in one position. Putting the car seat on the other side of the vehicle might fix the problem.
During the day, when youre home, why not lay out a blanket in your living room, or garden? Place a few toys on the blanket and let your baby move around as much as possible. Remember to supervise your baby during this time.
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What Causes Hair Shedding
“There can be a number of causes genetics is the primary reason for men and many women,” says Blaisure. But many women commonly experience hair shedding, thanks to stress and lack of nutrients . “Another common reason for excess hair fall is hormonal changes, particularly in women,” Burg adds. “These can happen with pregnancy, childbirth, a change in contraceptive pill, or during menopause. The change in hormones can affect the way hair grows by shortening the growth part of the hair cycle, leading to increased fall.”
According to Hill, you should be concerned if you’re seeing one of the following symptoms:
- You seem to leave trails of hair in the car, pillow, or just from running your fingers through your hair.
- You’re noticing larger amounts of hair in the drain when shampooing.
- You see a sudden decrease in the density or thickness of your ponytail or hair over a 36 month period.
But don’t panic: Burg says this is completely reversible. “This sort of phenomenon is referred to as telogen effluvium, which just means that a group of hairs has stopped growing at the same time and then have shed together,” he explains. Also, your hair and nails take a lot of energy to growbut they’re not a top priority for your body, which is why you may experience shedding during times of physical and emotional stress.
Read on to find out pro tips on how to stop hair from shedding.
How Hormones Affect Your Hair
Hormones are the biggest reason for your pregnancy hair changes and postpartum hair loss.
During pregnancy, your high levels of estrogen prevented your usual rate of hair loss. Normally, your hair falls out in small amounts every day. During pregnancy, your hair loss decreases. The effect is compounded by your increased blood volume and circulation, which also causes your hair to fall out less than normal.
So after your baby arrives and your hormone levels drop, your hair makes up for lost time by falling out in much bigger clumps than it normally does. The total volume of your hair loss probably isnt more than you would have lost over the last nine months, it just seems like it because its happening all at once.
Postpartum hair loss can set in any day after your baby arrives, and it sometimes continues as long as a year. It usually peaks around the 4-month mark, so if your baby is a few months old and youre still losing clumps of hair, that doesnt mean its time to panic!
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What Is Baby Hair Loss & Why Does It Happen
Before we get into the specifics of baby hair loss, its important to note that the scientific term for this condition is telogen effluvium. This term can be both deceiving and alarming because telogen effluvium can be used to refer to a wide variety of hair loss in babies, children, and adults.
But most likely, none of the serious causes listed for telogen effluviumlike physical or emotional stress, chronic illness, and anemiaare behind your babys hair loss.
Hair has a growth stage and a resting stage. During the resting stage, the hair remains in the follicle until new hair starts to grow.
As we get older, about 5 to 15 percent of hair on the scalp is typically in the resting phase at any one time, but stress, fever, or a hormonal change can cause a large number of hairs to stop growing all at once.
Because a newborn’s hormone levels fluctuate significantly right after birth, it may cause them to lose the hair they were born with. Their body is processing out their mothers hormones and replacing them with something more suitable for their new environment outside the womb.
Hair Loss After Childbirth
Many women experience chevelure loss during pregnancy and after childbirth. Usually, increased hair loss begins 1-4 weeks after the baby is born. Several factors cause this:
- Changes in hormonal levels.
- Lactation, which uses a lot of nutrients.
- Loss of blood during childbirth.
Increased prolapse stops within a year after the birth of the child. But sometimes, the thickness and beauty of the hair are not restored. It is worth contacting a trichologist who will select vitamin complexes to eliminate vitamin deficiency to prevent this from happening.
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Causes Of Newborn Hair Loss
The condition of a newborn baby will experience a variety of diverse periods. One of the conditions they will encounter is hair fallout. It is also referred to as alopecia, and in infants, it can occur due to several triggers. This condition occurs due to hormones in the babys sleeping position. The good news is that baby hair loss is rarely associated with medical problems.
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At the same time, each baby will have a significantly different cause. In fact, babies tend to have rapid growth and recovery. If you find certain symptoms, try to understand if this is a serious problem or not. When does newborn hair fall out? However, most hair loss occurs in the first 6 months of life and peaks at three months.
In some cases, hair regrowth can occur very quickly, along with hair loss. In other words, you may not notice a significant difference in their hair. On the other hand, hair loss can quickly make your child bald, which is normal. Therefore, most of the causes of baby hair loss are harmless and dont affect their health.
If described in detail, hair loss in infants occurs due to telogen effluvium. Babies are born with hair follicles to support hair growth. Some strands are usually in a telogen phase and an anagen phase at birth. But certain factors can accelerate growth and cause when does newborn hair fall out, or hormones kick in.
Do You Have To Take The Baby To A Doctor For Hair Loss
Hair loss in babies is not a medical emergency. If the baby is otherwise healthy, there is no need to take the baby to a doctor. However, if the baby has the following symptoms along with hair loss, then it is better for the doctor to take a look .
- Itchiness of the scalp
- A cracked and crusty scalp that bleeds
- Baby tends to pull hair very often
- Rapid hair thinning due to hair loss
- Blisters or pimples appear at the point of hair loss
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Why Are Some Babies Born With A Lot Of Hair
The follicles that grow while theyre in the womb form a hair pattern theyll have for the rest of their lives. New follicles dont form after birth, so the follicles you have are the only ones youll ever get. The hair is visible on your babys head and may grow quickly or slowly during the weeks leading up to birth.
Ways To Prevent Baby Hair Loss
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Common Reasons for Hair Loss in BabiesFirstly, theres no need to panic if you notice your baby losing their delicate locks! Newborn hair loss is very common and happens for a variety of reasons.
You may find that your baby is losing hair for hormonal reasons, which is completely normal in the first 6 months and also temporary. Hormone levels drop after birth, which causes many strands of hair to fall out together, leaving you with a little bald baby. This process however is usually quickly followed by new hair growth. Sometimes the new hair will be a different texture, thickness or colour, so be prepared for a surprise when those new strands start to appear!
The most common cause of baby bald spots and newborn hair loss however is friction. Child health organisations around the world, including the American Academy of Paediatrics, recommend that babies sleep on their backs to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome . Seeing as babies spend a lot of time on their backs, usually wriggling around and rubbing hair off the back of their heads, its little wonder that so many of them develop bald patches.
While it is normal for babies to get a bald patch, there are a few things you can do to protect their locks, reduce hair loss and prevent that unsightly baby bald spot at the back of their head.
How to Protect Your Little Ones Hair
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