Children’s Hair Growth

Overview

Your baby may have come into this world with a full head of hair, while another infant may be nearly bald. Newborn hair, or the lack thereof, matters very little because it will more than likely fall out and be replaced by very different hair, both in color and texture. By the time a child reaches puberty, hair will begin to grow in the pubic regions and underarms.

Fetal Hair Development

The first hint of hair on your baby generally appears about 22 weeks into your pregnancy, according to the Mayo Clinic. Very fine hair known as lanugo will cover his entire body. By week 24, your baby will begin to grow real head hair. Shortly before your baby is born, the lanugo will have almost completely disappeared, and the hair on his head will be fuller and coarse.

Hair Falling Out

Do not be surprised if the hair your baby was born with completely falls out during the first six months of life. This happens because hormone levels fall immediately after birth and can throw all of your baby’s hair follicles into the resting stage at once, according to Baby Center.com. These hormonal irregularities can cause a large number of hairs to stop growing at the same time.

Re-Growth

While newborn hair loss is perfectly normal and somewhat predictable, exactly when it will begin to grow back can vary considerably from one baby to another. As a general rule, it can take nine to 12 weeks for noticeable hair growth to appear.

If your baby’s hair does not grow back immediately, do not despair. She will eventually experience normal hair growth, but it may return in a different color or texture than what she had as a newborn.

First Haircut

A baby will more than likely go through his first 12 months will little if any hair. A child will usually have just enough hair to justify getting his first haircut sometime during the second year of life. Once a child loses the hair of infancy and re-growth is under way, most hair will grow for approximately two to six years and then fall out, according to Kids Health.org. New hair grows in its place.

Hair Loss in Childhood

Hair loss during childhood and adolescence may be due to medications, a scalp injury, nutritional deficiencies or a condition called alopecia areata, according to Healthy Children.org. This hair disorder appears to be an “allergic” reaction to one’s own hair. A child loses hair in a circular area, causing a bald spot.

An older child, especially a girl, may experience hair loss because of excessive combing or brushing or wearing tight braids or other hairstyles that pull on the hair.

Puberty and Beyond

When a child enters puberty, pubic hair that is often curly and coarse begins to appear, along with underarm hair, according to Hair Scientists.org. In girls, puberty typically begins between ages 8 and 13 and 10 and 15 in boys, according to Kids Health.org. Boys also begin to grow hair on their face, back, arms and legs. The average fully developed person has 5 million hairs, according to the National Institutes of Health.