Raising and caring for a small child is always controversial and accompanied by myths and prejudices. To cut or not to cut a baby's hair per year - this question worries many moms and dads.
Where did the tradition of cutting a child's hair come from?
The tradition of cutting a child's hair when he is one year old came to us from Ancient Russia. Our ancestors believed that information at a biological level was embedded in the hair, and if you cut them ahead of time, the child will lose contact with space, get sick and even die.
The prohibition to cut the hair of a child before the age of one is also explained by the fact that in ancient Russia, due to undeveloped medicine and unsanitary conditions, infant mortality was very high and babies often did not live up to a year. When the baby was one year old, it was believed that he had gone through a critical period in his life. In the pagan period in Russia, they believed that if a baby lived in a family for more than a year, it means that it suits him, and he remains to live in it. The shaving of a child at this age marked his initiation into the family.
Another reason for the child's haircut was poor living conditions: it is harder to care for the regrown hair, insects could start in them. The baby's bald head made life easier for both himself and his parents.
In our time, there are no objective reasons for a mandatory haircut at the age of one. Some parents, and even more so grandparents, still believe in myths. For example, it is believed that if a child is cut a year, then he will grow thicker and more beautiful hair. There is a prejudice that you cannot cut your baby's hair until one year old, otherwise he will start talking late. But such superstitions do not have any real evidence.
Until now, this process is accompanied by the wildest superstitions, such as: "hair concentrates strength and energy, if you cut it off in a small child, it will hurt a lot," or: "if you cut a child's hair before one year old, he will not talk for a long time." It is unlikely that a modern sane person can believe in such tales.
Modern pediatricians do not set strict restrictions on haircuts for children, but warn against early haircuts. The fact is that babies under one year old have too delicate skin on their heads and the fontanel is not completely closed, therefore it is not recommended to cut the child so as not to injure him with scissors or a machine.
Why did they shave one-year-old children in the USSR
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4sDtp6riMg
Is shaving bald per year useful?
Many parents believe the saying that shaving a one-year-old baby will grow thick and beautiful hair. Doctors and scientists say this is a myth. To be convinced of this, it is enough to read about how hair grows (understand the mechanism of hair growth).
The follicles or hair follicles from which the baby's hair appears are laid at the stage of the embryo - about the second or third month of pregnancy. A baby is born with fewer follicles than an embryo. Throughout life, a person continues to lose hair follicles. If a baby has about 1,100 follicles per centimeter of skin, then by the age of 15 there are about 400 of them.
A newborn is born with a fluff on its head. By about 2-3 years old, the child grows so-called baby hair, scientifically called intermediate. By adolescence, they are gradually being replaced by real adult hair.
Haircut bald does not affect the amount, density, or the speed of hair growth. These parameters are influenced by heredity, health status, proper nutrition and hair care.
Parietal crusts
Many babies develop parietal crusts on their heads - gneiss. This is due to the increased formation of fat on the scalp. Parents are worried about scabs interfering with hair growth. And if they interfere, then how to deal with them. According to pediatricians, crusts do not affect hair growth and condition in any way. By about two years old, they gradually disappear when fat metabolism returns to normal.
If mom is worried about baby crusts, they can be removed with baby oil. Before bathing, the crusts are greased with oil. After bathing, the hairs are carefully combed with a thick comb with soft teeth, taking out the exfoliated crusts.
How to properly wash your child's hair
In order not to interfere with the natural growth of baby's hair, it is recommended to wash them with baby shampoo no more than twice a week. The detergent is applied to the hand, a few drops of water are added, foamed and massaged onto the baby's head, taking care not to get the foam into the eyes. When rinsing, make sure that all the shampoo is washed out of the hair.
- Wash my head with pleasure: 7 surefire ways to persuade a child to wash their hair without tears
- How to wash a child's head without tears and whims: 11 tips + video consultation
- Do I need to cut a child's hair a year: rules for cutting one-year-old children
- How to cut a child without tantrums
