Caring for your child’s hair properly can keep her looking her best and teach her healthy hygiene habits. Different children require different types of hair care, depending on if their hair is dry, oily or somewhere in between. Even babies with only a small amount of hair need regular care to keep their hair and scalp healthy and to encourage hair growth. Talk to your child’s pediatrician if you have any concerns about your child’s hair or scalp, particularly if your child experiences significant unexplained hair loss, breakage or a persistent rash on her scalp.
Step 1
Wash your child’s hair with warm water and a mild shampoo. Lather the shampoo over your child’s scalp using your fingertips, but do not scratch the scalp with your nails, advises Kids Health. Some children with oily hair require daily washing, while others with drier scalps may only need to wash their hair a few times a week.
Step 2
Rub a gentle baby shampoo over your infant’s head if his hair seems dirty or if he has cradle cap, a condition similar to dandruff that causes dry, scaly patches on the scalp, recommends the Mayo Clinic. Use a soft-bristled hairbrush or toothbrush to loosen scales and dry skin before rinsing the shampoo with a damp washcloth.
Step 3
Use a conditioner after shampooing on children with dry hair to keep it moisturized. Using conditioner on oily hair can make it appear flat and greasy, explains Kids Health.
Step 4
Comb out your child’s hair with a wide-toothed comb to remove tangles. Purchase a spray-on detangler for children whose hair gets extremely tangled to make combing easier.
Step 5
Moisturize African American or biracial babies’ and children’s hair once a week to keep it soft and hydrated, recommends Baby Center. Natural oils, such as emu oil, avocado oil and almond oil work well. Rub the oil over your fingers, and sweep it over your child’s hair and scalp to distribute it evenly.
Step 6
Use a medicated shampoo or treatment on your child’s hair if she has head lice. Head lice are a common problem for children between the ages of 3 and 12, especially girls, explains Kids Health. Apply lice shampoos and treatments exactly as directed, and do not use them on children under 2 years of age. If your baby gets head lice, wash and condition her hair and use a fine-toothed comb to remove them while the hair is still wet. Repeat the procedure every day until you do not find any more.
Step 7
Leave your baby’s hair loose to allow the hair follicle to grow strong, recommends Baby Center. Use coated elastic bands or plastic barrettes in older children’s hair, but do not pull the hair too tightly as this can cause scalp damage or permanent hair loss.
Things You'll Need
- Mild shampoo
- Soft-bristled hairbrush or toothbrush (optional)
- Washcloth
- Conditioner
- Detangler (optional)
- Comb
- Hair moisturizer (optional)
- Medicated shampoo or lice treatment (optional)
- Coated elastic bands (optional)
