All babies are beautiful, special and unique. They come in all shapes and sizes; some small, some large, some slim others are pudgy and squishy.

Genetics determine blue eyes; brown eyes, light skin and naturally dark skin, and even this can change as they get older.

Some newborns have no hair, others have a full crop of hair, but one thing which all babies will experience at some point, is hair loss.

It is natural for you as a mother to be concerned– especially if your newborn had a full head of hair at the time of birth.

Hair loss consultant from Transitions hair – Andrew Wilson, provides the facts on why it happens and what you can expect.

Fact 1: First hair growth cycle

Often hair loss occurs in newborns because the first hair growth cycle has fallen out before the new growth cycle has had a chance to take over.

Some babies may even be completely bald for the entire first year. Fortunately, babies that experience hair loss or have no hair in their first year will eventually develop new, stronger hair growth as they mature.

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Fact 2: Drop in hormone levels

Just before delivery there is a drop in hormone levels as once the baby is born it no longer obtains hormones from the mother.

This causes the baby’s hair to enter into the resting phase of the hair cycle meaning the baby’s hair ceases to grow.

Eventually the resting phase also falls out as your baby’s hair enters a new phase of growth. The new growth of hair will then push out the resting hair, causing the existing hair to fall out and the new hair to grow gradually, leading to the baby’s hair appearing patchy. If new hair growth is taking longer than you think it should just be patient, before you know it, healthy locks will appear on your baby’s scalp.

Fact 3: Baby’s sleeping position

In addition to suffering hair loss due to drop in hormone levels, bald patches may appear on your newborn’s head due to consistently sleeping with their head in the same position.

If your baby develops a bald patch at the back of their head, or on either side of the head this may be due to sleeping on one of those areas for extended periods of time.

If hair falls out completely due to this reason, it is because the hair is still at the resting stage and was mean to be shed.

The new hair will begin to grow when your baby starts sitting up. As long as the scalp is healthy, there is nothing to fear. However, if the baby’s scalp is experiencing severe cradle cap (excessive scaling of skin), oozing or redness, you should discuss the problem with your baby’s doctor.

Were you concerned about your baby’s hair loss? Please share in the comments below.

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