Causes of Hair Fall in Babies and How to Prevent it

Hairfall in babies is as common as it gets! As a parent, you will be surprised to know that hair fall as a problem is not just with the adults it is also a major concern amongst infants too. It is very common for them and not a reason for major concern though. Let us try to enumerate different causes and understand the best possible ways to prevent them.

Hair fall in babies: Causes

At times hair fall comes with birth because at the time of birth the hormones levels are very high and after birth, these levels start to dip. Thus occurs the phase of hair fall because there is no growth of the hair in this period.

In case your baby is suffering from fever or stress that too results in hair fall due to hormonal changes.

As per the development of the growth chart the next phase of hair growth starts to grow after the 3rd month of the baby after the old hair starts to shed.

Post the birth of your baby it enters a phase called “tolegen,” during which hair fall happens in a fast phase, this too can lead to severe hair fall.

It has been suggested after a lot of research that putting a satin blanket behind your baby’s head when lying or sleeping will reduce hair loss immensely and retain moisture. This will really help you to overcome this problem of hair loss and also retain moisture.

Few other factors that can be stated as causes for infant balding are cradle cap, trichotillomania, ring worm or even frictional alopecia. Frictional alopecia is caused when there is an abnormal loss of hair roots and hair shaft caused due to rubbing of the scalp on cotton.  Physical damage to the hair can also be a result of tight ponytail or hairs clipped to tightly. Do try knotting your baby’s hair little loosely to avoid this situation.

Trichotillomania is a condition where your baby pulls his hair forcibly or twirls the hair tightly, though this condition is more common in older babies.

It has been observed that even if you rest your baby on the cot or a chair for a long time only on one side chances are there that she might develop a bald patch there due to hair loss.  This usually happens due to the prolonged contact of the scalp with the chair leading to this problem. 

First-time parents usually are unable to anticipate or understand if at all there is any fungal infection in their baby. Tinea capitis is a fungal infection which can trigger hair fall in your baby. At times, this infection also leads to the red and flaky skin making some black spots visible. In case such symptoms are visible in your baby, you must rush to consult the doctor at the earliest. Sooner your baby receives medication, better it is for his health.

If your baby is suffering from a weak immune system, then an infection called Alopecia areata can come in. This also leads to hair fall and the hair follicles become weak. As a parent, you must be aware and help to build a better immune system for your baby by adding healthy food to his diet.

Thyroid imbalance or an underperforming pituitary gland can also lead to hair fall in the infant. Usually, this condition is detected with the doctor’s help and necessary tests. Some basic medication and tests can help you resolve this problem.

Hair fall in babies: Prevention 

Having discussed the different causes and aspects of hair fall let’s try to know some preventive measures to help combat the problem at the earliest. Even though it is recommended to visit the doctor as soon as you feel there is a problem, even then certain basic preventive measure can help you overcome the problem at the initial stage too.

Inculcate the habit of sleeping in all positions, even if your baby is sleeping or resting upright try to make her sleep on her tummy. Tummy time will not prevent hair loss due to less friction of hair with the mattress but also improve her physical development. Ensure that you give your baby enough tummy time before you make her sleep on her tummy so that she doesn’t throw up her food.

Avoid combing her hair too many times and surely don’t make a very tight ponytail.

Make sure you keep the scalp clean always and shampooing the scalp at regular intervals is also suggested to prevent hair fall. Hygiene conditions of the scalp also determine the severity of the problem. Even as you shampoo, rinse the scalp properly with enough water so as to the soap doesn’t linger in the scalp leading to hair fall.

As mentioned earlier it is quite normal for babies to shed hair until 6 months of their age, just keep these basic tips in mind to overcome this problem. 

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Disclaimer : Content presented here is for information purposes only, please consult with your doctor for any health queries