Many parents are very worried about the baby, constantly inspecting his body. Some notice that the baby begins to lose hair. It should be noted that this phenomenon in itself does not pose any danger, but sometimes it can be evidence of pathology.
Why does a newborn lose hair on his head? Parents are very worried about this issue. A similar situation is considered normal, it occurs quite often. However, it is still better to consult a doctor and undergo a diagnosis.
Causes of Hair Loss
You need to understand that various factors can cause hair loss. Among them there are lichen, rickets, fungus, as well as trauma to the follicles. In order to establish the exact cause, you must definitely contact a specialist.
Injury
Injury to the follicles can happen due to the fact that the curls are too much stretched constantly, there was a burn by chemical means. Hair can begin to fall out if it is constantly pulled. Some babies themselves tear them out or touch them too sharply. Newborns have very brittle hair, so they break easily. You need to understand that if the loss began due to an injury, then it can be stopped only if the friction and tension of the hair are reduced.
Deprive hormones
When answering the question of why a newborn baby has hair loss, it is necessary to note such a serious reason as lichen. This disease has a fungal nature. A characteristic symptom is rounded and flaky spots. Moreover, there is no hair on their surface. Treatment necessarily includes the appointment of antifungal drugs.
Sometimes hair loss is provoked by the restructuring of the hormonal background. However, in this case, the number of lost curls is small. The reason for this is that in the womb, the mother received hormones for the baby, respectively, after childbirth their number is sharply reduced.
Friction
Friction leads to severe baldness in the temples or at the back of the head. Often this problem is confused with focal alopecia. Such a problem arises, as a rule, in children from 3 years old, so there is nothing to fear from newborns.
Dermatitis
Another reason is seborrheic dermatitis. Its second name is gneiss. The phenomenon is common enough. In this case, not only hair loss, but also crusts, which are difficult to separate from the skin, will be a characteristic symptom. They have a yellow or gray tint. Parents need to keep in mind: if you remove them without first softening them with warm water or a fat cream, the child will remove follicles along with the foci of inflammation. But you need to eliminate the crust without fail, as they interfere with hair growth.
Rickets
A popular cause is rickets. Doctors often in situations where a newborn has hair loss, prescribe diagnostic measures and vitamin D as a prophylaxis. If the child really confirms rickets, such measures will help to restrain him in the early stages of development.
Occipital hair loss
Why do newborns lose hair on the back of their head? There may be several reasons. These include stress, fungus, problems with the hormonal background, problems with the functioning of the immune system, and trauma to the hair follicles.
Sometimes the same posture of the head during sleep leads to baldness in the back of the head. Pediatricians advise during the day to change the position of the head and monitor the quality of bedding.
Types of baldness
At present, several types of baldness in newborns are distinguished.
Hair loss on the head can be of telogen nature. This nature suggests that a child’s hair stops growing and developing. The so-called coma comes. The follicles are in a dormant state. Such a problem develops after an injury, surgery, overdose of drugs or vitamins. Hair loss is considered temporary, because after eliminating the cause, the follicles are immediately activated.
Another type of hair loss is alopecia areata. A characteristic feature of this process is that the child's hair falls out in whole bundles. Loss occurs quickly enough. 3-4 days are enough to leave no hair on the head. You need to treat this problem only under the supervision of a doctor. In this case, medications are prescribed that will not harm the child. If necessary, the drugs may change during the course of therapy, especially if the process has not stopped and as a result, the newborn has hair loss. The problem with identifying this type of baldness is that it is difficult to determine the exact cause. Most often, such consequences are caused by a malfunction in the immune system, stress, problems with the thyroid gland, and mental injuries.
The third type of baldness is total alopecia. In 3-4 months, the baby will completely lose hair. In newborns, this problem is less common than the rest. The causes of this ailment can be called follicular underdevelopment, the use of food with chemical additives, diseases of an infectious nature, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
Preventive measures
So that the child does not have problems with the hair on his head, all parents need to follow simple rules. It is necessary to wear it only in those hats that sit freely. They need to be selected in accordance with the season and weather. If the clothes are too tight, the hair will fall out due to excessive sweating.
When the baby is sleeping, you need to turn his head in different directions at least several times. This will avoid bald patches on the back of the head. Before bathing, it is necessary to measure the temperature of the water. Its optimal indicator is 37 degrees.
All cosmetics (shampoo, soap) should be hypoallergenic. You can wash your hair no more than 2 times in 7 days. To rinse your hair, use boiled water. Chamomile and string decoctions are great. Sometimes a situation when a newborn has hair loss is provoked precisely by improper bathing and washing.
The choice of cosmetics for a child should be treated with all severity. Newborns are often difficult to tolerate the effects of many components. If the shampoo has a pungent or unpleasant odor, then you need to refuse to purchase it. Its color should also be natural.
Myths about hair that you should not believe in
Many parents wonder why a newborn has hair loss on his forehead. The most popular opinion is that such symptoms are a sign of rickets. No need to panic. It is better to pay attention to other indicators. Does the child have a change in skin color, tearfulness, sweating, problems with the skull, insomnia, constipation. Moreover, it should be noted, sometimes such symptoms can speak not about rickets, but about a lack of vitamin D and calcium. Most often, this happens in autumn and spring. Only one symptom when a newborn has hair loss does not indicate the development of rickets.
Another well-known myth says that a child needs to completely shave his head when he turns one year old. At the moment, some parents still adhere to such advice. Experts do not recommend conducting this, as newborns have too delicate skin integuments. In addition, the bulbs are very close to the skin, so follicles can be damaged when shaving. This will lead to either complete or partial baldness.
What should parents do?
As it has already become clear, the problem when a newborn has hair loss is considered common. Parents should have clear instructions that provide information on what to do in such a situation.
First of all, you need to pay attention to how much hair is lost during combing. If the comb has hard bristles, then the problem is probably in it. It is best if it is made of natural material. You need to remember that you need to comb only when the hair is dry.
Particular attention should be paid to shampoo. It should have a mild effect on the hair and be safe. Moreover, the cosmetic product should be suitable for age. Often on children’s shampoos a restriction of “3 years” is written. Such products are dangerous for newborns. You need to wash your hair no more than 1-2 times a week. The rest of the days you can just rinse your hair with water. The temperature of the water must be constantly monitored.
If the parents had a girl, then do not rush to do her hairstyles with hairpins or elastic bands. Doctors often say that a newborn has hair loss due to such actions. At this age, curls are very tender and weak, so they are injured by mechanical stress. It is better to refuse rubber bands and hairpins, especially if they are very tight. In some children, the skin and hairline on the head are quite sensitive, so pediatricians advise postponing hairstyles for up to 3 years.