Amina was born with a full head of hair, definitely explained the insane heartburn I had while I was pregnant with her!
Her hair was black & bone straight and I was sure it would continue to flourish just as Tori's had.
The Reality
Girl, I was so wrong! First it was beautiful and then I start to notice scales, no other way I can describe it, around her forehead hairline. Soon the doctors let me know that she had severe cradle cap and it was so crazy to watch her go from a full head of hair to almost none.
Like imagine a cute little caramel Fire Marshall Bill by the head, it was a struggle!
(if you don't know who Fire Marshall Bill is, we can't be friends)
Everyone told me not to worry. That her hair would grow. Don't put too much of anything on it. The advice was endless but it still wasn't sitting well in my spirit so I began to do my own research.
Slowly but surely after her 1st birthday I began to see her hair growing the way I had hoped.
Here are 5 tips that I believe helped with Amina's hair growth:
(Disclaimer: I am not a dermatologist or hairstylist, just a determined mom)
1. Scratch the cradle cap up with coconut oil - Both her physician and dermatologist told me not to scratch her scalp that it would just fall out but what I found is that it didn't just "fall out" and it would start to cake up. So, I would add coconut oil to her scalp (a generous amount) and scratch/comb it up. I only did this on wash days (see tip #3). I'll warn you, when I did it definitely pulled out some of her hair which brings me to my next tip
2. Comb her hair daily - Hair sheds every day. If you aren't combing it daily, when you do, you will feel like your child is going to be bald by the end of the day. I know alot of people, especially stay at home parents, don't feel the need to comb their child's hair everyday if they aren't going anywhere. For me, I felt like it helped keep the cradle cap under control because it was constantly being combed through.
3. Cowash her hair with conditioner, no shampoos, at least once a week- How dirty is your baby's hair really getting? Once I stopped using baby shampoos on her hair and just cowashed, I noticed an immediate difference in the moisture in her hair as well as the added reduction of the cradle cap. (I use Honest Company Ultra Calmin Lavender conditioner and recently started using Kaleidescape Kids 2 in 1. I'll keep you posted on how I like it.)
4. Grapeseed oil is LIFE - I truly believe this is one of the main reasons that Amina's hair really began to flourish around 16 months. After I cowash her hair, I immediately put Grapeseed oil on her scalp and massaged it in. It also added texture to her hair when I combed through it. This was truly the turning point for her.
5. Let her hair breathe - In Tip #2 I said comb their hair daily but combing doesn't mean putting a bunch of hair bows, beads or headbands in her hair. I have nothing against it but for a child who already has a delicate scalp all that tension daily is unneeded. Plus, your baby needs her edges protected too! A combed out natural, curly fro with a loose crown braid is our go to most days! I do enjoy cute ponytails on occasion but rarely will you see tight ponytails with heavy barrettes in her hair. Again, nothing against it but it doesn't serve her hair well.
And that's it! We are well on our way on Amina's natural hair growth and I love it!
Please feel free to email me or DM on IG with any questions! Again, these are just the things that I have done to help create healthy hair for my daughters. My older girls have beautiful hair that I have nurtured along with their wonderful stylists.
Every child is different and every head of hair can present its own challenges.
Please consult your physician, dermatologist and/or stylist before trying any new products or techniques if you have any concerns.
Love & Light,
Trese, Unapologetically