Even if your baby has little more than peach fuzz covering his head, hair care for infants requires a bit of personal care. Treat your little prince’s or little diva’s hair to the attention it requires. This will keep your infant looking her cutest, feeling her best and ready for all those close-up pictures that will be taken.
Hair Care for Infants
Hair care for infants is a natural part of a bath time routine. When your child is still really small, with a soft spot and an inability to hold up his head, you can pour some baby shampoo onto a washcloth and rub his little head. Rinse the cloth and wipe off the hair until the shampoo is completely rinsed. When he has a little more control, you can scrub his head with your hand and pour water over his head with a cup to rinse the shampoo.
How Often
Especially in the earliest months of her life, your infant does not require a shampoo every day or every other day. Once a week or two should be more than enough. Since you are probably giving a bath more often than that, you can simply rinse his head with the water if you feel the need to remove any grime. As he gets more active and encounters more sweat and dirt, you may need to increase the number of washings per week.
All You Need
It doesn’t take much to care for that precious head of hair. Buy an infant shampoo that is free of detergents and perfumes that could cause an allergy. A tear-free option may save you some hassle. A washcloth, the one you use for the whole bath, may help you rinse away shampoo and be especially useful if you don’t have tear-free shampoo. You can apply mineral oil to keep his scalp moist and healthy. You might find this helpful during the dryness of winter.
Special Cases
Despite how well you wash his hair, you may notice some extreme flaking and crusting. Don’t worry. Often referred to as cradle cap, this special flaking is common in infants. If it worsens, continues without improvement, accompanies a rash or makes your baby uncomfortable, you can talk with your doctor about a change in shampoos or other treatment.
How To Treat It
You can scrub your baby’s scalp softly to remove cradle cap. Don’t obsess over it, as it will heal naturally. Just rub with the washcloth, baking soda or your baby’s soft brush. Keep it moisturized with mineral oil. You can give your baby a soft massage to help loosen the flakes, but don’t scrape it or push on his soft spot.
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