DO’s and DON’Ts of Scalp & Hair Care for Babies

Newborn scalp & hair care is quite different from the way you would look after your own tresses. Why? Mainly because a newborn’s scalp and hair are extremely delicate and need to be handled more gently and carefully. While some babies are born with little to no hair, others arrive with a head full of hair. In either case, the general do’s and don’ts of baby haircare remain pretty much the same. Here are some general rules you should follow while caring for your baby’s scalp and hair.

DO

• Be extremely gentle while combing or washing baby’s scalp and hair. The top of your baby’s head is a really sensitive area and at this stage, your baby’s skull is still developing. So be careful when caring for this area.

• Pick a mild, tear-free baby shampoo. The right care begins with the right baby shampoo. Choose one that is made without any parabens and harsh chemicals. It’s important that your baby’s shampoo is “Tear-free” so that it doesn’t sting or irritate your baby’s eyes at bath-time. Softsens Tear-free Baby Shampoo is an aqua-based shampoo that is enriched with castor oil to help promote healthy hair growth, and a special conditioning agent to keep hair soft and tangle-free.

• Use a wide-toothed comb to gently detangle hair while the hair is still wet. This is the best way to detangle your baby’s hair.

• Massage baby’s scalp daily to loosen any dry skin and to promote circulation. Use a specially formulated baby massage oil or baby hair oil to gently massage your baby’s scalp daily. You can do this before baby’s bath-time. This will help to gently remove dead skin cells and dry, flakey skin, leaving your baby’s scalp soft and smooth. Massaging the scalp is also highly recommended for babies with cradle cap. (Click here to learn more about cradle cap and its treatment) Softsens Baby Calming Massage Oil is perfect for this purpose as it is enriched with powerful yet gentle skin-superfoods like coconut oil, almond oil, olive oil and Vitamin E that nourish and condition the skin, leaving it healthy and soft.

• Try and prevent a bald spot from forming on the back of your baby’s head by making sure baby isn’t always lying down on his/her back for a considerable amount of time. Since babies spend a lot of their time in a lying-down position, the friction between their head and the surface on which they are sleeping can cause a bald spot to develop in this area over time. Give your baby supervised tummy time daily. Or try and change the position of their head by moving them over very slightly to their side. Ensure that someone is always present to supervise if baby is not sleeping on the back. Even if after all this, you do notice a bald spot on the back of your baby’s head, don’t worry. Over time, the hair will fill in.

• Protect baby’s delicate scalp from the sun by making them wear a light hat when outdoors. Don’t forget about protecting that delicate skin when you’re outdoors. Choose a light, wide-brimmed hat for this purpose.

DON’T

• Shampoo your baby’s hair more than once or twice a week. Babies don’t need to be bathed more than 2-3 times a week. The same goes for hair care. You don’t need to wash your baby’s scalp more than once or twice a week with mild, tear-free baby shampoo. Washing the hair too often can actually cause the skin to dry out, leaving baby itchy and uncomfortable.

• Be in a rush to give the baby a haircut. Hold off on this until you feel it is necessary. When you do so, make sure that you use baby safe scissors or better yet, go to a hair salon that specializes in cutting baby’s hair.

• Use a brush on wet hair. A wide-toothed comb is a far gentler option than a brush.

• Poke and prod at baby’s hair with hair clips, bobby pins and hair bands. Even if your baby has thicker, longer hair, it is still extremely delicate at this stage and too much fussing can cause hair damage. As cute as they may be, avoid hair accessories until the baby is a little older.

• Use hair care products that are made for adults, however mild they may be. Adult hair care products will most likely contain ingredients that are too harsh for baby’s sensitive skin. Use only mild & gentle baby hair products that are specially formulated for your little ones.

How do you care for your baby’s scalp & hair? Leave your top baby hair care tips below.