Cutting a baby’s hair doesn’t affect hair growth. However, should you shave a newborn’s baby hair (lanugo)? This is a common question among parents. Please read the following article from our 0-3 year old baby care section to find out when to cut a newborn’s hair and whether or not to shave their lanugo!

1What is Lanugo?

Lanugo is the thin, soft, downy hair that newborns have immediately after birth. It’s lighter in color than normal hair and usually falls out after a few weeks or months. Lanugo plays an important role in protecting the newborn’s delicate fontanelle (soft spot). It helps keep the head warm and protects it from temperature changes and sunlight.

Each baby has a different layer of lanugo, from thick and long to sparse and short, or even no hair at all, depending on genetics and nutrition during pregnancy. Hair color also varies, from black to blond and other shades. The structure of a newborn’s hair is similar to that of an adult, however, the growth and shedding process is slower and uneven in each baby.

Lanugo is the first layer of hair on a newborn, formed from the 24th week of pregnancy

2Should you shave a newborn’s lanugo?

Many people believe that shaving lanugo will make the hair grow thicker and darker, but this has not been scientifically proven. Whether hair is dark or light, sparse or thick, straight or curly is determined by genetics, not by shaving lanugo.

Lanugo will gradually fall out over time to make way for real hair growth. Around 3 months of age, a baby’s hair at the back of the head will naturally fall out and be replaced by new hair. This is completely normal and not a medical condition.

You should only trim lanugo if it’s long and causing discomfort to the baby. If the baby’s hair is short and sparse and doesn’t bother them, it’s best not to cut it. This is because the fontanelle of babies under 1 year old has not yet fully closed, and cutting their hair could injure the delicate scalp and isn’t good for keeping the fontanelle warm and protected.

Collapse

3When should you cut a baby’s hair? Should you cut a baby’s hair at 3 months and 10 days old?

According to folk beliefs, milestones for cutting a baby’s hair are at one month, 3 months and 10 days, 6 months, and 1 year old.

However, medically, cutting a newborn’s lanugo is not safe because their scalp is very delicate. Lanugo protects the fontanelle and keeps the head warm. Hair should only be cut when the child is older than 1 year old and the fontanelle has closed. If the baby’s hair is too long and causing discomfort, just trim it, don’t shave it all off.

Collapse

4Things to keep in mind when cutting a baby’s hair

Here are some important things parents need to know when cutting a baby’s hair:

According to medical research, cutting a baby’s hair is not recommended at all. For babies under 5 months old, their scalp is quite sensitive, so it’s best not to cut their hair at this time. When a child is 12 months or older, their fontanelle will start to stabilize. At this point, it’s completely safe to cut their hair.

For boys over 1 year old, you should trim their hair every 6-8 weeks. For girls, depending on preference and hair length, parents can adjust the haircut schedule.

Do not cut a baby’s hair when they are not in good health, such as when they have just recovered from an illness, are tired, have recently been vaccinated, or are in a Wonder Week.

Stop cutting their hair if the baby cries and refuses to lie still. This situation is very dangerous and could cause injury to their head.

Never cut a baby’s hair while they are sleeping. Parents often think that cutting a baby’s hair while they are asleep will be easier because they are unaware, but this is not the case. Cutting a baby’s hair while they are sleeping can easily startle and frighten them when they wake up.

After the haircut, bathe the baby and change their clothes so that loose hair doesn’t irritate them.

Collapse

Trim a boy’s hair every 6-8 weeks after he turns 1. For girls, parents can adjust the haircut schedule depending on their preference and desired hair length.

5What to prepare for a baby’s first haircut

To make it less stressful for parents when cutting a baby’s hair and to help the baby feel comfortable and at ease during the haircut, parents should:

5.1 Make the baby as comfortable as possible

Whether cutting hair at home or at a salon, this should be the top priority. Do whatever the baby wants, make them as comfortable as possible so that their first haircut goes smoothly and easily. Some babies don’t like wearing capes during haircuts, so don’t force them if they don’t like it.

5.2 Always soothe the baby

Not all babies enjoy getting their hair cut, especially the first time. For some babies, getting a haircut can be terrifying. To help the baby feel less stressed, soothe them, cuddle them, reassure them, and comfort them. You can hold the baby and have a family member cut their hair. If you take the baby to a salon, hold them while they are getting their hair cut.

5.3 Don’t force the baby

If the baby fusses, screams, cries, and refuses to cooperate with the haircut, reassure them and don’t force them. This is quite normal for a baby’s first haircut. They may feel unsafe in their surroundings and want to let you know. Forcing the baby will only make them cry harder and may even lead to dangerous actions such as flailing their arms and legs, which could cause the scissors to accidentally poke them, causing scratches and bleeding.

5.4 Always give the baby breaks

When cutting a baby’s hair, parents shouldn’t rush to finish the haircut as quickly as possible. The most important thing during the first haircut is to make the baby feel comfortable and relaxed.

Therefore, if the baby shows signs of discomfort, pause for a few minutes and then continue cutting. During the break, interact, hug, kiss, and play with the baby to help them forget the discomfort.

5.5 “Hide” all mirrors

Don’t let the baby look in the mirror while getting their hair cut. Most children at this age will be startled and confused when they see a stranger “floating” above their head. Have the baby sit facing you, and you can talk to and soothe them while cutting their hair. This will help the baby feel more comfortable with the haircut.

5.6 Seek support from family members

The baby will feel safe and comfortable seeing familiar faces like grandparents, aunts, uncles, and siblings in an unfamiliar environment. Therefore, ask a familiar person to come along to distract the baby from the haircut. This can be a great way to help the baby feel more comfortable and happy while getting their hair cut.

Because babies are so young, haircuts can be a very strange experience. When cutting a baby’s hair, the most important thing parents need to do is to help the baby stay as comfortable and happy as possible.

We hope this article from our 0-1 year old baby care section can help parents feel more at ease when cutting a baby’s hair. Because this is a necessary and important task for the baby, always help the baby maintain a comfortable mood during the haircut.

In addition, to assist in the process of caring for newborns, mothers can consider baby carriers that create comfort and safety for both baby and mother.

Compiled by Nguyet Hong