Do your children have healthy hair? Teaching your children how to care for their hair will help them grow it healthily and will be something that will serve them throughout their lifetime. Here are some ways to determine if your child's hair is healthy and teach them how to care for it.
Signs of Good Hair Health
Hair that is healthy is strong. The health of your child's hair can reveal other potential health problems. For example, hair that feels brittle to the touch can be an early sign of Cushing's disease. Profound hair shedding can be a sign of Anemia (iron deficiency).
Signs that your child's hair is in good health include elasticity, bounce, shine, and how many hairs are shed daily. Hair that is thinning can be indicative of unhealthy hair. Dandruff or cradle cap in younger children indicates that your child's scalp needs special attention.
1. Hair Cutting and Washing
Hair care starts with good grooming habits. Teaching your child early on how to care for their hair by washing, combing, and visiting the stylist occasionally can improve their health. According to Healthline, a trim every six to eight weeks is necessary if you want to keep hair length the same. If you want the hair to grow longer, you still need to trim it, but you can leave the trims for every eight-twelve weeks.
Teach your child how to wash their hair properly. A quarter-sized shampoo drop should be massaged into the wet hair, ensuring scalp scrub. Shampoo should be rinsed out until there are no suds left. Children with curly or dry hair should use conditioner after washing their hair.
2. Hair Products
Hair products should not be used by children under five unless warranted. For example, if your child has dehydrated hair, a leave-in conditioner can help to nourish the hair. Hair sprays, gels, and other products used to hold the hair in place can dry the hair out and should be avoided by very young children.
A good (tear-free) shampoo and conditioner are all a child needs to use on their hair to keep it healthy. Overuse of products can damage the hair. Even the ties you use on your child's hair should be considered. Never use rubber bands; instead, use ties that are designed specifically to protect the hair from breakage.
3. Heat Styling and Kids
Heat styling should be avoided. Keeping your child's hair healthy until they are old enough to manage the process fully on their own is up to you. Using heat to style a child's hair can damage the hair at the root. It can also dry out the hair.
Children's hair is very fragile. Hair loss from heat styling can cause permanent damage. According to the NCFBS, before hair loss's full effect is realized, hair can grow for two to six years, then go into a phase or resting, and will fall out. This means the damage caused by heat styling a child's hair may not be apparent for several years.
4. Practice Good Modeling
If you want your child's hair to be healthy, you must practice good hair care modeling. Let your child witness you as you move through your hair care routine. Modeling good hair health for your child can influence them more than telling them what they should do to care for their hair.
Nothing is better than a healthy head of hair at any age. Learn more about hair health, how to promote it in your child, and how to recognize if your child's hair is on the path to good health.
