Children’s hair

Children’s hair is often a problem because it is supremely fine and may be difficult to care for because of its nearly downy softness and fluffiness. Up until the age of 7-10, this fine hair will remain about the head.

Children’s hair is different from adult hair in texture, density, and likely also color, body and so on. Hair's traits will change over time as humans physically develop, and even age. Like the rest of the human body, (example, teeth), hair has different stages of development spanning the full lifetime from birth to death.

It is best to detangle hair before washing, especially if there’s any length. Use a wide tooth comb and begin from the bottom of the length, and work one's way up the length of hair. This concept is excellent for adult hair as well.

Choose a mild shampoo, or dilute the shampoo in a bit of water to reduce the strength. Lather the shampoo in the palm of a hand before applying. A dime size of shampoo should be sufficient. Do not pile or overly agitate the hair in swirly circles about the head inciting tangles. Instead try to wash the hair in the direction the hair falls. Most children’s hair is not overly thick either so this is easier to follow. The head and hair can almost be patted with shampoo.

If the child is somewhat older, and possesses any length, do use a conditioner that is lightweight on the hair length only, not the scalp skin. A trick to aide with detangling, and this is particularly suitable for curly hair, is to coat the hair length in conditioner, use the power of the shower water to help with detangling, and then repetitively dip the wide tooth plastic comb in conditioner and detangle a bit this way. Such fine hair will be weighted down by an overly heavy and/or viscous substance. Avoid placing conditioner on the scalp skin, if at all possible.

To detangle delicate hair and hopefully stem the tide of tears from pulling, use a very wide tooth comb, not a brush. Consider the option of waiting for hair to partially dry by air such that the hair is merely damp and not sopping wet. Then there are on the market any variety of detangling sprays that parents can use that will help tremendously with the detangling process, making it more enjoyable for both parent and child. These often contain agents that greatly increase slip. Curly haired children will likely benefit from less detangling. The hair can be worked in the shower as suggested slightly above, and then lightly detangled, and any further conditioner can be applied to curly hair while still damp. Then simply scrunch the hair in the palms of the hand to help form the curl in grouped locks. (This is also true of detangling curly hair once dry: never use a brush on such hair and thus separate the strands. This will result in poof that most curlies despise. Allow the coiled curls to lock together in groups and lightly detangle with a wide tooth comb. Use a leave-in conditioner to impart moisture and avoid flatness to some degree. Those with more body/curl have a harder time holding on to moisture since the cuticle is normally somewhat open. So any assistance with imparting moisture that's appropriate for the curl level is helpful.) Also be sure to detangle, from the bottom, of any length working one’s way up toward the head. This practice is true both damp and dry. It can be sprayed not only on the hair, but the detangling tool as well. Do NOT start from the top and force the tool down through the hair. This is a sure fire way to have a screaming session as this method literally pulls hair harshly at the hair follicle which is quite painful. Interestingly, one strand being pulled is supremely more sexy than a tug on a whole chunk of hair. When the hair is merely damp, simply separating the strands and not aiming for complete tangle-free hair will help speed up the drying time. Whenever possible, consider gentle braiding or ponytailing, or somehow organizing the hair in a contained format to prevent hurtful detangling needs later on in the day. The same holds true of sleeping. Consider slippery fabrics for the pillowcase. Any length can be bound in pigtail braids that are not tightly pulled from the head. Position the start point of such braids such that the child will not be sleeping on a lump. This is a possible option at later ages for both sleep and playground. While they will become loosened, at least detangling needs and matting are minimized. Always blot hair dry; do not rub the hair and again incite tangles this way. There exist on the market microfiber towels that really absorb wetness quickly. Many concepts for adult hair care still apply with children’s hair.

Many children are afraid of dunking their head in water and this can make it difficult for parents to teach their children to wash their own hair. Never force a child’s head under the water entirely. Instead, consider installing a hand held shower in the bathing area so that water can be specifically directed. (This is not usually expensive or difficult, even for single parents. All that’s required is a diverter piece on the shower head arm. This can be installed in dwellings such as apartments with ease and removed just as easily when one ceases tenancy.) Some children that are younger will really appreciate having a hand towel handy to wipe their eyes as it helps them feel in control. Leaning forward may be more frightening to the child, so instead, work so the child tilts their head back with parental hand support. Use cups of water, if a hand held shower is impossible, to aim the flow of water on the hair and away from the face. Some children will be comfortable with the idea of leaning back in a bathtub. If a parent has the time, setting up a mock salon situation at a sink can be an alternative: a chair that’s high enough and maybe some pillows so the child’s head leans back comfortably.

Babies and elderly scalp skin are similar in that the sebaceous gland production is less because of less hormones in the body. As part of most hair follicles, there is a sebaceous gland that secretes sebum, a waxy ester, which helps to maintain the acid mantle (scalp skin health/balance) and provide a coating on the skin that keeps it supple and moist. It is not oil, even though we refer to the look of this when it builds too much as oily or greasy. When the sebum builds overly, it is time to wash the hair, generally somewhere between every other day to every third day for average adults. Very elderly may be able to wait closer to depending on sebum production and volume of hair. Teenagers, because of hormones, often require daily washing of the hair. However most adults can wait a day or so between washing since some sebum is necessary to maintain health of the scalp skin. Sebum also imparts a protective coating to hair strands. Daily washing will remove the sebum daily and incite, potentially, an increase in sebum production since the skin has mechanisms for discerning the scalp skin is lacking sufficient moisture. However, in forms of scalp disorders, this may not be the case. For babies and elderly, the sebaceous gland production is not at peak and so daily washing is not typically necessary. If daily washing is conducted this can actually lead to dry, itchy scalp skin scenarios that are irritating. Note that not all itchy scalps are related to overly dry scalp skin. In point of fact, the opposite can be true: too much sebum (for example a response to an infection of the hair follicles). Babies and elderly should use shampoos that are quite mild to the skin. In instances of cradle cap, a type of dermatitis distantly related to dandruff, follow the doctor’s instructions for care. Hair texture changes every seven years, with the changing levels of hormones produced.