Baby Hair Loss And Everything You Need To Know About It
Seeing your little one's hair falling out or thinning can be concerning as a parent, but rest assured that, in most cases, it is a natural part of your baby's early development. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the partial or complete hair loss of babies in the first few months is normal. However, there are a few exceptions that are linked with minor infections.
This blog post will explore the reasons behind baby hair loss. Besides, if you are wondering how to differentiate normal hair loss from abnormal hair shedding, the symptoms listed below will greatly help you. If you're a new parent or caregiver curious about this topic, keep reading to learn everything you need to know about baby hair loss.
Is Baby Hair Loss Normal?
Baby hair loss will certainly worry you as a parent, but it is fairly normal. Very few babies come out with completely styled locks. Most of the newborns start off with tufted hair patches and spiky mohawks. If your baby is shedding a few sprouts of their hair, we are here to present some facts proving it is completely normal.
Additionally, excessive hair loss can be a symptom of some infections. Therefore, examining your baby's scalp for better assessment is better in this case. It is normal if you see downy, pale, and extra white hair. Hang tight and wait, because this type of baldness can last until your little one's first birthday.
What Are The Causes Of Newborn Hair Loss
Baby hair loss is fairly common due to multiple reasons. The condition is deemed safe, but some rare conditions may threaten your baby's scalp health. Here are the common causes/conditions associated with newborn hair loss.
1. Hormone Fluctuations
Most newborns often experience hair shedding for the same reason as pregnant ladies—hormones. The fluctuation of hormones can result in severe hair loss in babies, especially in the early 12 months. In such a case, you'll witness hair shedding constantly from the whole head. A specific patch won't be targeted in it.
2. Bald Patches
If you see patches around your baby's head in which hair growth is fairly decreased, the part of the baby is likely getting rubbed against something. If your baby sleeps in a specific stance, such hair loss can be seen. Generally, the back of the head is associated with this type of shedding.
There are some disease-associated hair loss symptoms that are different than prescribed conditions. Even though such cases are extremely rare in kids smaller than one year, it is better to have sound knowledge about them.
3. Red Flaky Skin with Patches
Bald patches are normal in babies unless the scalp color and state remain the same. If your newborn's scalp has bald patches along with red, flaky skin, it is the symptom of a possible fungal infection. In such cases, black dots are also seen at the places where hair has broken off.
4. Alopecia Areata
It is a term associated with the hair loss caused by a baby's immune system. The characteristic symptoms of this condition are isolated patches that are round, smooth, and totally bald. In this case, the immune system slows hair growth by acting on human hair follicles. That is why it affects all the hair on the body.
5. Thyroid and Pituitary Associated Baldness
As said earlier, hormone fluctuations may cause hair loss, but shedding caused by the Pituitary and Thyroid glands isn't normal. The secreted hormones from these can cause hypopituitarism and hypothyroidism—one of the leading causes of hair loss in your child.
Will The Baby's Hair Ever Grow Back?
If the hormones are the main reason for your baby's hair loss, it will regrow once the hormones stabilize. In some babies, the process of hair loss is relatively slower. In that case, regrowth would also be slow. Even if your baby goes bald in a few weeks, there's nothing to worry about, as the activity depends on hormones. Once the glands start stimulating hormone production, hair will eventually grow back.
Another thing some parents notice is the nature of the regrown hair. Most of the time, the hair differs entirely from the previous baby locks. The color, state, thickness, and nature of the hair depend on the genes of a baby and its hormones. So it's completely okay if your baby's hair transforms from brown to blonde or curly to straight after the hair loss.
Things To Do During Your Newborn Hair Loss
Every parent will have to face baby hair loss in some part of their life. However, multiple ways exist to facilitate hair growth and prevent unhealthy hair shedding. If you see a relatively large amount of shredded hair in your baby's crib or stroller, take the following preventive measures for baby hair loss treatment.
1. Look For Additional Symptoms Without Panic
9 times out of 10, the initial baby hair loss is due to hormones unrelated to any disorder or infection. However, it is better to be extremely cautious in such matters. The best tactic would be to look for symptoms that are indications of an infection or disease.
- Bald patches with red, flaky scalp
- Dandruff-like flakes on the scalp
- Tiny black spots
- Smooth round patches in multiple places
The above signs are one of the rare conditions that only some parents find their babies in. If you are one of these, get your little one to a doctor and find an appropriate solution to your problem. Remember, these conditions don't characterize any fatal infection. There are proper medications for these types of hair shedding.
2. Examine the Sleep Form of Your Baby
If your baby always sleeps on one side, the specific side would likely have less hair due to excessive rubbing and friction. Therefore, it is better to change the stance of your baby in the crib while sleeping. Furthermore, hair loss around the back of the head can increase if your baby spends most of the time in a stroller.
3. Improve Your Baby's Scalp Health
Most parents are conscious about their baby's skin care practices, but few focus on scalp health. If your baby has a hygienic scalp free of infectious microbes, the chances of fungal infections are minimized. We are not telling you to wash your baby's hair every day. Frequent washing can damage your baby's hair.
The best way to facilitate growth is by using a product with no surfactants or synthetic pigments. Unfortunately, most shampoos are made up of these, so the ideal approach would be to go for a natural soap. Purelitto's Shea Butter Natural Soap is the best shampoo alternative because of its purest natural and organic ingredients.
The Bottom Line
Baby hair loss is a common occurrence in infants. Most babies are born with sparse hair, spiky tufts, and patches. Additionally, hair loss in the first few months of life due to hormonal fluctuations is normal. However, excessive hair loss can be a symptom of an infection or other underlying disease. So, examining your baby's scalp and looking for signs indicating a particle conditional hair loss is important.
The above symptoms will help you diagnose if your baby's hair loss is normal. Besides, you can take the prescribed steps to improve your baby's scalp health and facilitate regrowth.