Does shaving a baby's head make their hair better?
In many places, there is a tradition of shaving a baby's head, especially when they are young, in the belief that it will make their hair grow darker and better. But is this really true?
Xinxin's Mom: Xinxin is 4 and a half months old. His hair grew quite fast and was very dark when he was in confinement. But ever since we followed my mother-in-law's advice to shave off his baby hair, his hair has been growing slowly, turning yellow, and falling out. Isn't it said that a baby's hair will grow better after being shaved? Why did Xinxin's hair turn yellow instead? Could it be a lack of some trace elements in his body?
Slight hair loss in babies is a normal phenomenon
The yellowing, slow growth, and even hair loss of a baby's hair after shaving off their baby hair are not directly related to the shaving itself. It is a temporary physiological change in hair growth due to changes in the baby's living environment after birth. By the time the child is around 1 year old, their hair will gradually grow out, and by around 2 years old, they will have thick hair.
Hair loss in a 4-month-old baby may be due to positional alopecia, which is a normal phenomenon that will naturally disappear as the child grows. There is no need to worry too much. Related reading: Does baby positional alopecia always indicate a lack of calcium?
Shaving hair does not make it grow better
The density, growth range, color, and curliness of a child's hair are mainly determined by genetic factors. However, there is a folk belief in China that suggests that shaving a child's hair and eyebrows frequently can make their hair and eyebrows become dark and thick. In reality, this belief is unfounded. Hair and eyebrows are already keratinized, lifeless epidermal cells, and shaving or not shaving has no effect on hair growth.
On the contrary, because a baby's scalp is delicate, shaving their head can easily damage their scalp and cause folliculitis, skin infections, and other problems. Therefore, from a medical perspective, it is not recommended to shave a baby's head. It is best to cut their hair instead of shaving it, as this can prevent skin injuries during haircuts.
