Adult terminal hair begins to grow in the teenage period, when hormonal changes occur in the child's body (during puberty under the influence of sex hormones). Simultaneously with a change in hair on the head, hair growth of axillary cavities and pubis begins. A little later, in teenage boys, the first light fluff breaks out on the chin and above the upper lip.
How to choose a baby shampoo
Since children's intermediate hair is too thin and brittle, and the skin on the child’s head is sensitive, the choice of baby shampoo should be treated very carefully. Before you buy shampoo in the store, you need to remember that just marking “baby shampoo” is not enough. You need to carefully familiarize yourself with the composition of the shampoo. Trichologists (hair specialists), when buying, are advised to primarily pay attention to the following:
- Indicators of acid-base balance (PH). In baby shampoo, they range from 4.5 to 5.5 - this is a gentle, slightly acidic environment;
- Children's hair should only be washed with a hypoallergenic agent;
- Useful additives in baby shampoos: nettle, calendula, chamomile, series. Extracts from these herbs have anti-inflammatory properties. Manufacturers of shampoos also add extracts from lavender, sea buckthorn or peach;
- Shampoos on a soap basis are considered ideal for children's hair, but such products are less common on sale. Most often, surface-active agents (surfactants) that negatively affect the delicate skin of babies are part of hair washing products. You can determine the amount of surfactants by the way the shampoo foams. The more foam when washing, the more harmful substances. Shampoo with a minimal amount of surfactants or without them foams very weakly;
- Surfactants in shampoo: laureth sulfate (sodium laureth sulfate), lauryl, cocamidopropyl betaine, cocoate glyceride and others;
- The composition of baby shampoo should not include emulsifiers, designated PEG-8, PEG-80, PEG-150. They are considered carcinogens and are dangerous to the health of the child, as they can provoke the development of cancer;
- Instead of artificial surfactants, some manufacturers add natural emulsifiers to shampoos: beeswax, candelilla wax, jojoba. At such shampoos the price is more expensive, but they can be safely bought for babies;
- Glycerin also belongs to safe additives. But it should be borne in mind that with air humidity in the room less than 60-65%, it can lead to overdrying of the skin.
When choosing a shampoo for a child, his age should be considered. Up to three years old, shampoos for babies are bought for him. From 3 to 14 years old, baby shampoos with herbal and vitamin supplements are suitable.Adult shampoos, especially those against dandruff, are harmful to children's hair, so it is forbidden to use them.
To strengthen the baby's hair, make it strong and shiny, after washing the baby hair with shampoo, you can rinse them with a decoction of chamomile, nettle, St. John's wort, burdock or oregano.
Instead of industrial shampoos, you can use natural products, such as egg yolk with various additives.
How to wash your hair
Children's hair is washed in much the same way as adults, but some rules must be followed. The whole process should go like this:
- Wet your baby's hair with warm water;
- Put a small amount of shampoo on your palm and foam it, adding a little water;
- Apply foam on the baby’s head with massage circular movements, moving from the forehead to the back of the head;
- Rinse off the shampoo with a stream of warm water from the shower. rinse thoroughly;
- After using the shampoo, it is useful to rinse the baby’s hair with a decoction of herbs: chamomile, nettle, burdock root (it strengthens the hair roots). This will strengthen and heal the hair. Keep in mind, if the child is blond, a decoction of chamomile can make the hair yellow.
- Squeeze out the washed hair slightly and without wiping, wrap your head in a towel;
- Do not use a hair dryer to dry children's hair - this leads to their drying out and brittleness;
- In order not to wash away the natural fatty lubrication of the hair in a child, you should not wash his hair often. Once or twice a week is enough.
We also read:
- How to wash a child’s head without tears and vagaries: 11 tips + video tutorials
- Washing my head with pleasure: 7 sure ways to persuade a child to wash his hair without tears
- By what means and how often do you need to wash your child's head up to a year
- TOP 10 baby care products
Lyudmila Sharova - Lessons for Moms. How to wash the hair of a newborn baby. How to wash the hair of a newborn so that the child does not cry and is not afraid of this procedure.
Personally, I am my daughter, 5 years old, washing my baby shampoo 0+. Once a week, mine. Of course, its length is no longer necessary, but the composition is more natural than those that go from 3 years. The shampoo foams well, so that the hair is washed well with it.
Now the big problem is to choose a good and safe shampoo for the child. Almost all of them have SLS. Moreover, it is really everywhere. It’s so amazing to me how to add this harmful surfactant to children's shampoo. Interestingly, if the shampoo has a more or less normal composition, then its price is immediately prohibitive.