Hair Health: How Parents Can Take Care of Their Children’s Hair

Hair Care is Often Overlooked by Parents

Hair care is often an overlooked area of grooming.  As long as a child’s hair is clean and combed or brushed, there’s no cause for alarm.  That’s not necessarily the case.  Have you ever been through the rigorous and emotionally exhausting task of removing head lice from your child’s hair?  If you have, you know that hair care is every bit as important as skin and dental care.

Tips for Making Hair Care Easier

With so many products available to make hair care easier, good hygiene and grooming practices are easier than ever.  Here are some ways you can take better care of your children’s hair:

  • The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) suggests skipping the hairbrush and opting for a wide-toothed comb instead.  This is especially the case after the child has bathed or showered.  It’s easier to get snarls out while they’re small rather than to let the hair get matted any worse.  Don’t use a brush on wet hair because it can cause breakage.
  • eHow recommends making children part of the routine by allowing them to choose their own mild strength shampoo.  Small kids won’t be as resistant if they know they get to use a product that they picked out.  There are a lot of different fun fragrances to choose from.  Make sure that the shampoo that is selected is tear-free.
  • Include Biotin supplements, a water-soluble B vitamin, in their diet.  Biotin helps produce fatty acids in the body which is necessary for cell growth.  It also controls the metabolism of fats and amino acids.  A Biotin supplement helps with hair growth.
  • Yahoo Voices contributor Sincerity Anna notes that checking a child’s scalp often can alert to bigger problems like moles, dandruff, ringworms, lice, and fleas.  A look at your kid’s head can prevent serious issues from occurring.  If you can catch them quick enough, you can treat them before they worsen.
  • Prevent breakage by using snag-free hair elastics in your daughter’s hair.  If you decide to braid or fix your child’s hair into ponytails, make sure to protect her strands by using ponytail holders that won’t rip out her hair.  These items are readily available in stores these days and typically read snag-free on the package.
  • If your child has a build-up of hair products on their hair and scalp, gently remove them by making a baking soda rinse.  The inexpensive kitchen products can be diluted by water to form a paste and applied to the hair and scalp.  Let it sit for a few minutes before rinsing it out.  Make sure that the water runs clear or the baking soda will remain.
Head Lice

Protect Your Children From Head Lice

As you can see from the tips listed above, there are a number of different ways you can care for your children’s hair.  By developing a hair care routine much like the skincare and dental routines you already have implemented in your home for your children, you eliminate many of the problems that dirty hair causes.  There will be less instances of dandruff and head lice as well which means less stress for you and your kids.

Good hair habits can last into adulthood.  If you teach your children from an early age on to take good care of their locks, they’ll be better equipped to deal with things like scalp infections, dandruff, and even head lice when they have children of their own.  Not everyone is blessed with a head full of healthy hair as they age, however.  Taking the precautionary steps listed above can make child’s play of hair care every day of the week.

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