We all know that a bald head is just about the cutest thing on a newborn, but as our babies age mothers can start to feel frustrated about how slowly a babies hair can sometimes grow. While the biggest factor in how thick or long your little one’s hair will be at birth and into toddlerhood is genetics, there are some ways that you can promote healthy hair and stimulate toddler hair growth.
Bring out the Scissors
Parents are often told by well-meaning family and friends that cutting or shaving a little one’s hair will help it to grow faster. While cutting a child’s hair doesn’t necessarily accelerate the rate at which hair will actually grow, trimming hair can help to eliminate split ends that tend to break away and make hair look thinner and uneven at the tips. This can have the effect of facilitating toddler hair growth by helping hair look thicker and healthier over time while helping hair grow longer by preventing too much breakage.
Start in the Kitchen
Although you may not consider it so, diet is perhaps the most important component in facilitating hair growth. You can start by making sure that your little one is drinking plenty of water, as this will ensure that his or her hair is well-hydrated and less prone to breakage. Foods that are rich Vitamin E are known to promote hair growth. These foods include things like nuts, sunflower seeds, and shrimp.
Another way to promote hair growth is to seek out foods that are high in folic acid such as beans, bread, and citrus fruits. There are even some super foods out there that provide both! These include avocado, broccoli, and spinach.
Choose Hairstyles Carefully
Finding fun hairstyles to explore with your little one can be one of the funnest moments of any mother’s day. Oftentimes, however, hairstyles that are too tight can result in hair loss in children. Opt for loose hairstyles instead. You can also avoid hair loss and hair damage by avoiding heat, so be sure to use the low setting if you blow dry your toddler’s hair. Even small things like brushing hair when dry instead of while wet can help prevent hair from breaking and slowing hair growth. It’s also important to be gentle while brushing out hair. Pulling too harshly on tangles will cause hair to rip and tear and could result in more split ends, which all can all slow the overall length and health of hair.
Navigating the world of toddler hair growth can be tricky, but with lots of patience and by following these simple tips you can help your little one get the long locks you’re both dreaming of. Consistency is key, so be sure not to give up if you start to feel frustrated by the lack of progress. Just remember that the biggest factor in hair growth is time! Being proactive about diet and hair care are known to be effective, but you wont see results overnight. With enough diligence and patience, you should start to see healthy hair results in a few months.
