When should you cut your child's hair for the first time? A question that worries many young parents.
There are a huge number of answers to this. These are superstitions, grandmother's advice, scientific facts and various myths.
It doesn’t matter what advice you ultimately listen to, the main thing is not to harm the baby. Common sense and the recommendations of experts have not yet been canceled.
Interesting fact about baby hairs
Before cutting a child's hair, parents need to learn about some features of children's hair. The central shaft of the hair helps retain heat. However, in babies under the age of one year, these properties are not fully developed, which means that the hair is not able to have a warming effect on the surface of the head.
However, unlike adults, in whom a quarter of the blood flow goes to the circulation of the brain and heating the head, children are characterized by even more active processes in this part. That is why the heads of small children do not freeze. It is difficult for a child's head to freeze. Against this background, other problems may arise, such as thinness, fragility, and severe hair loss of the baby.
Parents need to remember that the baby’s hairline changes three times in the first year of life without any outside intervention. A newborn baby is born with fluff, which gradually rolls down, evenly distributed over the entire surface of the head. Closer to the age of one, the baby fluff is completely replaced by baby hair, the texture of which is more rigid.
Tradition
You can consider yourself an atheist, a cynic, or whatever, but it won’t be easy for you to brush aside what is “flying” in the air. For centuries, starting from pagan times, in Rus' it was not necessary to cut the hair of a baby under one year old. Now that the reasons for this have been proven (high infant mortality), we still listen to this legend. What if... what if there is some other reason? We just don’t know it now, but we will find out later.
In ancient times, all nations attached great importance to the first haircut. It was always a ritual. The first baby “curls” were not thrown away, because they contained power. They were remembered during illness and during various disasters. In Rus', babies had their hair cut exactly at one year: neither later nor earlier. But in Muslim countries, a child’s hair was cut after birth on the seventh day. God's anointed were not required to have their hair cut at all.
Why do you need the first haircut?
It is important not only to know when you can cut your child’s hair for the first time, but also to understand why the haircut is necessary. If the baby has thin hair that does not in any way interfere with the child's life, there is no need for a haircut.
During the first year of life, a child's hair is renewed more than once. Most of the time in the first year of life the baby is in a horizontal position. The child rolls from side to side, from stomach to back. This causes the hair on the head to be rubbed off. Bald patches may even appear.
You should resort to a haircut only if the hair causes discomfort to the baby: it gets into the eyes, falls into lumps that are very difficult to comb, or causes prickly heat and scabs.
External factors
A baby from birth to six months is constantly in a lying position, occasionally turns his head, so the hair on the back of the head wears out, which is why a bald spot is formed. The quality of children's hair suffers from one of the leading factors - chronic overheating of the scalp; At the same time, their thinning and fragility are observed. Overheating is especially dangerous for a sick child: high temperature and a covered head harm not only the hairline, but also the thermoregulation of the child’s body. To improve the condition of your hair, you need to stop injuring it and make sure your head doesn’t sweat.
Signs
There are many signs regarding the most appropriate time to cut a child's haircut. In ancient times, there was a sign about when to cut a child’s hair for the first time, and what time of day is most suitable for the procedure. It was believed that the best time to update a child's hairstyle would be the full moon or the waxing moon. There is an opinion that if you cut a child's hair during one of these periods, the baby's new hair will be thicker. The sign has survived to this day.
This theory has no scientific basis. Trichologist scientists say that the quality of hair does not change after a haircut. In fact, short-cut hair creates a visual illusion. That is why it seems that the baby’s hair has become thicker. The genetic density and number of hair follicles do not change after the birth of a child. The main characteristics of hair, namely its structure and shade, are formed in the third month of intrauterine development.
Internal problems
The subject of close attention of parents of the child's first year - children's hair - signals the development of certain diseases, for example, pathological baldness indicates immunoallergic, deficiency or neuropsychiatric conditions. In such cases, “zeroing” or regular haircuts, as well as ointments and lotions for the scalp will not help the beauty and health of the child. The pediatrician knows exactly which course of treatment to choose.
If the hair quality is poor, the doctor will prescribe a mineral-vitamin complex, and if pathological processes are suspected, a diagnosis will be made and a treatment regimen will be determined.
Superstitions
Superstitions regarding when to cut a child's hair for the first time are rooted in Old Slavonic rituals and have a symbolic meaning. At that time, the procedure was carried out not with the goal of improving the condition of children's hair, but to establish spiritual and physical harmony. The procedure was performed only at a certain time and with certain nuances.
The baby's haircut was carried out only on a clear day before twelve o'clock. The procedure was accompanied by jokes, and treats were distributed to all guests.
In pre-Orthodox traditions, a baby's haircut had its own meaning. The procedure meant that the child ceased to be a baby and began a new stage in the child’s life - childhood. The cut locks were preserved and served as a talisman against the evil eye and troubles.
In addition, the issue of cutting children's hair was relevant at a time when there was a high child mortality rate from typhus transmitted by lice. Cutting your hair at that time significantly reduced the risk of contracting a serious disease.
Risks of the procedure
At what age do most parents cut their child's hair for the first time? As the year approaches, many mothers and fathers decide to make changes to their baby's hairstyle. The procedure is carried out for practical reasons. Overgrown hairs cause significant discomfort to the child during games. In addition, thick hair often provokes irritation and redness.
Shaving your head is dangerous. During the procedure, the risk of injuring or injuring the skin of the child’s head increases, which in turn increases the likelihood of infection. A scar caused by a machine can last a lifetime. In addition, parents should remember that babies consciously perceive their reflection in the mirror. That is why a new image can cause psychological trauma to a child.
Why was the strand cut?
In Ancient Rus' and other countries, children after one year were not completely cut. There was a tradition of only cutting off a few strands. Children were not shaved bald. Cutting hair was considered a kind of rite and a symbol of the fact that the youngest member of the family was ready to obey and honor their elder ancestors. In Ancient Egypt, there was a tradition of cutting a child's hair completely, but leaving only a long strand. People believed that this allowed the baby to preserve his soul.
In modern society, after one year of age, it is customary for children to have their hair cut very short or even shaved bald. This is done to make your hair healthier and fuller.
Recommendations for cutting and caring for children's hair
Many mothers and fathers are concerned not only about when to cut their child’s hair for the first time, but also about how to carry out the procedure without harm to the baby. If the parents decide to cut their baby’s hair, several important conditions must be met. It is strictly not recommended to cut a child's hair if the parents do not have the appropriate skills. It is better to contact an experienced specialist. Even in small towns you can find hairdressers giving haircuts to very young clients. If your child is afraid of unfamiliar surroundings, you can invite a specialist to your home.
If you decide to carry out the procedure yourself, several important conditions must be taken into account. During the procedure, you need to make sure that the child does not pay attention to the instrument. Otherwise, he may become frightened and begin to act up. You should not carry out the procedure if the baby is not in the mood. You should also postpone cutting your hair if you are ill.
Before you start cutting, your baby's hair should be slightly wetted with water. You can use a spray bottle for this. During the procedure, you can distract the child with a cartoon or a toy that the baby likes. You can ask a friend whom the child trusts to play with the baby, read him poems, or entice him with an interesting book. It is recommended to use a wooden comb for combing. Hair must be held back. You need to start cutting from the most overgrown areas.
When is the best time to cut a newborn baby's hair for the first time?
It is very important to choose the most appropriate moment for the procedure. If the question arises about when is the best time to cut a child’s hair for the first time, it is necessary to give preference to the winter season. The baby's head is in the hat for some time; environmental factors do not affect the surface of the skin. In the summer, it is better to trim the strands on your neck a little and trim your bangs. These measures will prevent the occurrence of rashes, irritation and redness.
The date of the next haircut depends on the speed of hair growth and the characteristics of the scalp. If the hair grows slowly, it is recommended to repeat the procedure no earlier than three months later. If the baby's hair grows quickly, the next haircut should be done earlier.
How to maintain the beauty and health of children's hair?
To maintain good hair condition, it is necessary to properly care for your baby's hair. To do this, you need to provide complete protection from ultraviolet rays, and also use only high-quality cosmetics for children that are suitable for age. It is recommended to wash your baby's hair with plain water without soap or similar detergents. It is necessary to brush your hair every day before going to bed. To do this, it is better to use special brushes and combs for children's hair. Under no circumstances should little girls have tight hairstyles. This will not only negatively affect the quality of your hair, but can also cause headaches.
What do scientists say?
If we consider hair from a physiological point of view, it is part of the human body. The number of hair follicles on the child’s head cannot increase depending on when they are cut and what happens to them after that. Namely, the thickness of the hair depends on them. It depends on the genes, because the number of hair follicles laid down from birth, the number of them there will be. And before or after the first haircut happens, it doesn’t play any role in the thickness and quality. The hereditary factor, health, care and nutrition of the child are more important. And to strengthen your hair, improve its growth, and make it stronger, you need regular and proper combing. It is recommended to scratch them in different directions every evening. This procedure improves blood circulation in the hair follicles.
It is equally important to use a comb with natural teeth, such as a wooden one. Regarding how to cut a child’s first haircut, experts are of the opinion that it is enough for a child to remove only the bangs so that they do not interfere with the eyes, and excess curls. On the contrary, cutting your hair to zero can be harmful and cause irritation on the scalp and damage the hair follicles. It is better for girls to grow long braids from the age of four, since hairpins and clips harm fragile and thin children's hair. But all this is individual, so you should make a decision about the first and subsequent haircuts based on each individual case.
