Washing baby hair: what do I have to consider?

How often does baby hair need to be washed?

Shortly after birth, the hair growth in many babies is not very pronounced. On the contrary, some babies are born with a very thick head of hair, but then lose more and more hair over the course of the first year of life. This hair loss is caused by the hormonal changes in your baby and usually regulates itself by the end of the second year of life. In the first months of life, however, baby hair is usually still very thin. In addition, your baby hardly comes into contact with dirt when it is still very small and not mobile. At the beginning it is sufficient to rinse your baby’s thin hair once a week in a bath.

Is a shampoo necessary?

Since baby hair is still very soft and fine, no detergent is required for cleaning. If your baby’s hair later becomes thicker, you can use a shampoo to clean it. It is then best to use special baby shampoo without surfactants or fragrances, as it is usually more skin-friendly than normal shampoo, which could irritate your child’s sensitive scalp.

Washing baby hair: which technique is the best?

Many children find it uncomfortable when water runs into their faces or ears. Therefore, when washing your hair, make sure that your baby’s head is tilted back as much as possible so that the water can run away in this direction. Then, using a small cup, gently scoop lukewarm water over his head or wring a wet sponge over his hair to wash it out. If your baby doesn’t like bathing anywayand is therefore already very restless, you can try holding your baby wrapped in a towel over the tub to wash his hair in this position. If your baby doesn’t like that either, you can wash his fine hair out with a soft, wet washcloth while he’s lying on the changing table. Just try out how washing your child’s hair works best.

What is there to consider when drying?

After you have washed the hair, it is important that you dry it carefully so that your child does not catch a cold. It is best to use a soft towel to gently dab your baby’s head. Better not to use a hair dryer, as your child’s sensitive scalp can easily burn. Also, make sure you don’t put any pressure on the head, as babies’ skullcaps aren’t fully formed yet. The openings in the skullcap, the so-called fontanelles, ensure that the head remains flexible and offer your child’s brain the opportunity to grow. However, these areas, which are only covered with connective tissue, are also very sensitive to pressure and must therefore be treated very carefully.

What is the best way to remove head gneiss?

Head gneiss is a firmly adhering, greasy layer of scales on the scalp, which affects many babies in the first three months of life. The phenomenon is due to the fact that the function of the sebaceous glands in babies is not yet properly self-regulating for hormonal reasons. Head gneiss is not to be confused with cradle cap, which can be a first sign of neurodermatitis and can also affect parts of the face or the rest of the body. In contrast to cradle cap, head gneiss usually disappears by itself after a few months.

However, if the cuticles on your child’s head bother you, you can carefully remove them. To do this, dab some baby oil on your child’s head with a cotton ball about an hour or two before washing their hair to soften the dandruff. Then rinse the oil out thoroughly while washing your hair. After washing, you can carefully comb out loosened scales with a fine comb against the direction of hair growth.

To counteract the formation of even more head gneiss, a head massage with a soft baby brush is recommended after the bath. Brushing “against the grain” stimulates blood circulation in the scalp and thus has a positive effect on the sebaceous glands. Also, when brushing, be careful not to press too hard on the head.