Children's hair - When, how, why?

Name: MAXIMUM VOLUME COLLECTION
Brand: Luc Vincent
SKU: LVE1151
Price: 129.95 USD
Availability: InStock

By Luc Vincent

The hair appearance of babies can always be deceiving.

Know that during the first six months, whether they have a lot of hair or not, their hair will all fall out to make way for their "real" hair. It will then be time to think about, depending on each one's growth rate, the moment to take out the scissors for a first haircut.

Obviously, there is no urgency, unless their bangs are blocking their vision or their hair is so long that people can't determine their gender.

Although now, the non-gendered trend advocates that boys AND girls can wear long hair. This trend has been brought to the forefront by famous parents. Just think of Kourtney Kardashian's sons, Blanket Jackson (Michael), Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake, Kate Hudson, and of course, Nelson and Eddy, Céline Dion's twins.

I When?

The chosen moment for this first haircut can also be of cultural and religious orders.

While Westerners keep a small lock of their baby's hair in the birth album for sentimentality, in traditional Muslim families, the child's head is shaved seven days after birth, and a sheep is sacrificed for a girl and two sheep for boys so that they can be purified and then baptized.

This ceremony, called the 7th day Aqiqa, is also the time when the child receives their name. Orthodox Jews will wait until their son is three years old if it's a boy.

The occasion for a religious and family ceremony that marks the beginning of their religious education and the wearing of the kippah and tsitsits.

This practice in Jewish tradition also marks a second fundamental step after the circumcision of the boy. Many Chinese still consider the newborn's first haircut at one month old as an opportunity to celebrate with family with the color red - which is considered lucky - as a backdrop.

According to their tradition, the experience of life only begins once the newborn's head is shaved, leaving a small lock in front so that the angels can grab it if they decide to take him to heaven.

It's the opposite for other peoples like in Mongolia, for example, where parents wait until their boy is three to five years old and two to four years old for girls before giving them their first haircut. Before that, they are perceived as intermediate beings before entering society.

In Polynesia, boys have to wait until their adolescence before receiving their first haircut. It's a shock for them to lose their long hair, but an important custom for Polynesians.

This stage of their life represents their new masculine identity and their passage into the world of men. The Catholic religion has never specified the solemn moment to perform the newborn's first haircut. It's up to each parent to decide when the appropriate time is.

Usually, around eighteen months, if the baby has a lot of hair or at the age of two years old and even later if it's a girl. It will then be enough to shorten the tips every three months.

Forget the myth that cutting hair more often makes it stronger and more beautiful. Totally false since hair grows from the root. Therefore, cutting them often or cutting them short does not help them regrow. This belief probably comes from the fact that plants grow from both ends (root and stem).

I How?

Shampoos: During the first four weeks of a newborn's life, it is preferable to wash their head, like the rest of their body, with warm water only.

Like their skin, a baby's scalp is very sensitive and easily irritated. After this first month, it is therefore VERY important to choose a gentle, hypoallergenic, pH-neutral, color-free, and fragrance-free shampoo for babies. After a light rinse with warm water, simply gently pat their head with a dry baby towel.

NEVER rub and never use a hair dryer, as their hair is very delicate and vulnerable to damage. In any case, their fine hair will dry quickly naturally.

The frequency of shampoos for children can vary depending on whether they have a lot or little hair. Generally, it is recommended to wash a baby's hair daily until the age of one and at least three times a week thereafter.

You can use a specific conditioner for children's hair only when their hair has grown and become thicker. Apply it only to the mid-lengths and ends before rinsing thoroughly with clear water.

To untangle children's hair, I suggest doing it immediately after shampooing (while their hair is not completely dry) with a comb instead of a brush, gently combing the ends up to the roots. Children's freshly washed hair is more vulnerable, so combs are more suitable than brushes.

I The first haircut

At home:

You may decide to cut your child's hair yourself, especially if they are still very young and do not yet have enough hair to go to the hairdresser.

Note that there is no predetermined age for this; it varies from child to child.

The opportune moment is when your child is bothered by their hair or when you are bothered by it when you look at them.

A small trim of the ends may be sufficient and give the appearance of thicker hair. If you feel confident with scissors, make sure they are safe with rounded tips.

When your child has longer hair and you want them to lose their "baby look," you will certainly be more confident in a salon where they are welcome.

At the hair salon:

The big moment has arrived: your child's first official visit to the hair salon.

Exciting for you but not necessarily for them. Therefore, there are a few steps to follow to ensure that this "first" is positive because its outcome will have an impact on all future visits.

Young children do not particularly like surprises. That's why it would be good for your child to see you getting a haircut or to visit the salon you have chosen before the big day.
This unfamiliar place, as well as the sounds (clippers, hairdryer) and smells found there, could frighten them. Talk to them about what they see in the salon, the cape they will wear, what the scissors do, without using the term "cut," which could scare them. "Shorten" their hair would undoubtedly be a more appropriate word.
Make sure the hair salon you choose is a place where children are welcome, with children's books, toys, and maybe even a mini motorcycle-shaped chair!
Before the big day at the hair salon, talk to your child about it as a special event that will be very pleasant and will only last a few minutes.
Try to schedule an appointment between their mealtime and nap time. Your child will be calmer then.
On the day, don't hesitate to arrive at the hairdresser's a little early so your child can acclimate to the place.
Bring their favorite toy to keep them occupied and calm. There's no need to dress too neatly, and neither does the child. Bring spare clothes in case he refuses to wear the cape.
For this first visit to the hairdresser, he may not want to leave you. It will be easier to hold him on your lap. Make sure he is not facing a mirror to distract him from the scissors.

Comfort him by promising him candy or a good ice cream after the appointment so he sees it as a celebration.

Take a photo or ask a parent or friend to do so before you leave, and show him a lock of his hair that you will keep as a souvenir for the both of you.

If everything goes well, make it a ritual that will always be pleasant and, above all, less stressful.

I Why?

All parents want their children to have healthy hair for the rest of their lives. Although the amount of hair we have is determined by our genetic code, it is essential to receive proper nutrition to stimulate their growth.

To allow your children's hair to grow quickly and in a healthy manner, vitamin B (biotin) is not only essential for promoting hair growth, it also has great importance during the early years of life.

Therefore, it is important to include eggs, cheese, yogurt, avocados, raspberries, salmon, nuts, bananas, and tomatoes in their diet.