Baby hair is always deceiving.
During the first six months of life, whether your baby has a full head of hair or just a few wisps, it will all fall out to make way for their "real" hair.
Depending on how quickly their hair grows, you'll eventually need to decide when it's time to break out the scissors — whether at a salon or at home.
Of course, there's no rush, unless their bangs are blocking their vision or their hair is so long that people can't tell if they're a boy or a girl.
Then again, the gender-neutral trend now embraces boys AND girls wearing their hair long — a movement championed by many celebrity parents.
Think of Kourtney Kardashian's sons, Blanket Jackson (Michael's son), Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake's kids, Kate Hudson's children, and of course, Nelson and Eddy, Céline Dion's twins.
When?
The timing of a first haircut can also be shaped by cultural and religious traditions.
In Western cultures, a small lock of baby hair is often kept in a keepsake album as a sentimental memento. In traditional Muslim families, however, the baby's head is shaved seven days after birth, and a sheep is sacrificed for a girl and two for a boy as part of a purification ritual before baptism. This ceremony, known as the Aqiqah of the 7th day, is also when the child receives their name.
Orthodox Jewish families wait until a boy turns three years old.
This occasion is marked by a religious and family ceremony that signals the beginning of the child's religious education, as well as the wearing of the kippah and tzitzit. In the Jewish tradition, this practice represents a second fundamental milestone after the boy's circumcision.
Many Chinese families still consider the baby's first haircut at one month old to be a cause for celebration, with the colour red — a symbol of good luck — setting the festive backdrop.
According to tradition, life's journey only truly begins once the newborn's head is shaved, leaving a small tuft of hair at the front so that angels can catch hold of the child should they decide to carry them to paradise.
It's quite the opposite in other cultures. In Mongolia, for example, parents wait until their son is between three and five years old, and their daughter between two and four, before giving them their first haircut.
Until that point, the children are seen as beings in transition before entering society.
In Polynesia, boys must wait until adolescence before receiving their first haircut. Losing their long hair can be a shock, but it's a deeply important custom for Polynesian communities.
This milestone represents their new masculine identity and their passage into the world of men.
The Catholic Church has never specified a particular moment for a newborn's first haircut.
So it's up to each parent to decide when the time is right. Typically, it's around eighteen months if the baby has a lot of hair, or around two years — and sometimes even later for girls.
After that, a simple trim every three months is usually enough. And forget the myth that cutting hair more often makes it grow back stronger and more beautiful.
That's completely false — hair grows from the root.
So cutting it frequently or cutting it short does nothing to boost regrowth. This myth likely comes from the fact that plants grow from both ends (root and stem).
How?
- Shampoo: During the first four weeks, it's best to wash your newborn's head — just like the rest of their body — with lukewarm water only.
- Like their skin, a baby's scalp is extremely sensitive and easily irritated.
- After the first month, it's VERY important to choose a gentle, hypoallergenic, pH-neutral baby shampoo that's free of dyes and fragrances. After a light rinse with lukewarm water, simply pat their head dry with a soft baby towel.
- NEVER rub the hair, and never use a blow dryer — baby hair is extremely delicate and vulnerable to damage. Their fine hair will air-dry quickly on its own.
- How often you shampoo depends on how much hair your child has. Generally, it's recommended to wash a baby's hair daily until they turn one, then at least three times a week after that.
- You can start using a children's conditioner once their hair has grown in and become thicker. Apply only to the mid-lengths and ends, then rinse thoroughly with clean water.
- To detangle children's hair, I recommend doing it right after shampooing — while the hair is still damp — using a comb rather than a brush. Gently work through the ends first, then move up toward the roots.
- Freshly washed children's hair is more fragile, so combs are a better choice than brushes.
The first haircut
At home
You may decide to cut your child's hair yourself, especially if they're still very young and don't have enough hair to warrant a trip to the salon.
There's no set age for a first haircut — it varies from child to child. The right time is when the hair starts getting in your child's way, or when it starts bothering you just looking at it.
A simple trim of the ends may be all that's needed and will give the appearance of thicker hair. If you feel confident enough to do it yourself, make sure you use safety scissors with rounded tips.
Once your child's hair has grown longer and you're ready for them to shed that "baby look," you'll probably feel more comfortable visiting a salon that welcomes young children.
At the salon
This is it! The big moment — your child's first official visit to the hairdresser.
It's exciting for you, but not necessarily for them. There are a few steps to follow to make sure this "first" is a positive experience, because how it goes will shape every visit that follows.
- Young children aren't big fans of surprises. That's why it's a great idea to let your child watch you get a haircut, or to pop into the salon you've chosen for a casual visit before the big day.
- The unfamiliar environment, along with the sounds (clippers, blow dryers) and smells, can be intimidating. Talk to your child about what they see in the salon — the cape they'll wear, what the scissors do — but avoid using the word "cut," which might scare them. "Trim" or "shorten" is a much gentler way to put it.
- Make sure the salon you choose is child-friendly — look for kids' books, toys, and maybe even a mini chair shaped like a motorcycle!
- In the days leading up to the appointment, talk about it as a special event that will be fun and only last a few minutes.
- Try to schedule the appointment between mealtime and nap time — your child will be calmer and more cooperative.
- On the big day, don't hesitate to arrive a little early so your child has time to get used to the surroundings.
- Bring their favourite small toy to keep them occupied and calm. There's no need to dress up — for either of you. And bring a change of clothes just in case they refuse to wear the cape.
- For this first salon visit, your child may not want to leave your side. In that case, it's perfectly fine to sit them on your lap. Try to position them so they're not facing a mirror, which helps keep their eyes off the scissors.