What Are the Best Practices for Washing Your kid's Hair?

When thinking about haircare for kids, the first thing that comes to mind is hair washing. It keeps the scalp clean and gives your little one soft, silky, and manageable hair. The use of natural baby hair care products provides nourishment to their delicate strands and sensitive scalp skin. Perfect care for growing hair. 

Though it might look simple, washing kids' hair is a big task and requires extra care and effort from parents. Luckily, this article will teach you the best practices for washing your kid’s hair. You will get insights on the hair wash process, tips, benefits, and a guide to choosing the right shampoo for kids. So, let’s start:

Benefits of Hair Wash for Kids

Most people think hair washing is only for cleaning the strands and scalp. This is a misconception, as a good hair wash has various other benefits. The main advantages of washing your kid’s hair are as follows:

1. Good scalp hygiene

Giving your kid a regular hair wash helps clean their hair and scalp. It removes dust particles, excess oil, and dead skin cells that accumulate on the scalp. Moreover, you can protect your child from developing a cradle cap by maintaining scalp hygiene with good quality baby care products. 

Cradle cap is a skin condition characterised by flaky, rough patches on the scalp. It is common in babies aged 3 weeks to 3 months and extremely rare in kids aged 12 months and older. 

2. Promotes hair growth

A clean scalp is one of the primary contributors to healthy hair growth in kids. Regular hair washing removes impurities from the scalp and creates a healthy environment for hair growth. Moreover, regular hair cleaning with herbal baby shampoo can reduce lice infestation, dandruff, itching, etc., promising long and strong hair over time.

3. Relaxes the body

Soothing scalp massages while scrubbing the shampoo promotes blood circulation. It eventually relaxes the body and relieves stress. You can make hairwashing more relaxing for your child by playing calm music and using soft lighting in the bathroom. 

4. Nurtures Bonding

Toddlers need help from their parents to wash their hair. This gives parents a good amount of time to bond with their little ones. They can talk, play with water, and enjoy each other’s company in solitude while soaking the baby in the goodness of natural baby care products. 

How to Wash Kids Hair?

You might find it difficult to wash your kid’s hair. Sometimes, your child might refuse to sit calmly in one place; other times, they might feel overwhelmed by the water pouring down their head. So, here is a step-by-step guide that will make hairwashing for your kids comfortable and fun:

1. Making the right preparations

• When washing your kid’s hair, the first thing to do is ensure that the water is at the right temperature. Ideally, the water should be lukewarm, neither hot nor cold. Always check the temperature before pouring it on your kid. 
• Always use a kid-friendly shampoo and conditioner made using Ayurvedic herbs and natural ingredients. The ones for adults might have harmful chemicals that are harsh on your baby’s sensitive skin. 
• Keep a mug or hand shower ready to rinse off the shampoo quickly. 

You can even give them a good baby hair oil massage before the hair wash. You can use hair oil the night before the hair wash day and leave it overnight or apply it a few hours before shampooing it. 

Ensure you are using the best baby hair oil with natural ingredients for your baby. It will promote hair growth by strengthening hair follicles and give your kid long, healthy hair. Lastly, detangle the hair before using the baby hair growth oil to ensure the oil gets absorbed well in the hair and scalp. 

Do these preparations and ensure you have all the essentials ready beforehand to avoid last-minute troubles. 

2. Detangle the Hair

Tangled hair can be a big problem when washing hair. When tugged during applying or rinsing off the shampoo, these knots can be painful for the child. Thus, it is advised to detangle the knots before getting the hair wet or applying the baby hair oil.

Gently run a wide-teethed comb from the scalp to the hair tips to remove tangles. This will prevent hair breakage and make shampooing pain-free for your child. 

3. Wet the Hair

Gently pour the water over your baby’s head using a mug or rinse bottle. Be slow so as not to overwhelm your little one. Moreover, you can tilt your kid’s head slightly backward to prevent water from entering their eyes or nose. 

4. Apply the Shampoo

Pour a small amount of shampoo on your palm. Apply it to your baby’s hair strands and scalp and create a lather with gentle rubs. Start from the scalp and work your way up through to the ends. Use soft, circular motions to massage the scalp. This will help remove the impurities from the roots. Plus, your comforting touch will relax your little one. 

5. Rinse the Shampoo

Once you have massaged the shampoo into your baby’s scalp and hair, it’s time to rinse it off with water. Use the mug or hand shower to cleanse off the product completely. Keep the water flow slow and steady. 

You can keep your hand on your kid’s forehead to prevent shampoo from getting into their eyes. However, a tear-free shampoo for kids will ensure your child doesn’t cry even when it enters their eyes during the hair wash. 

Lastly, if your baby has long curly hair, use a good conditioner after the shampoo. It will moisturise and detangle their hair. Apply the conditioner and let it sit for a few minutes before washing it. However, using a conditioner for kids is an optional choice. 

6. Dry the Hair

After washing and rinsing off the shampoo, it’s time to dry your baby’s hair. This is important to ensure they are safe from potential scalp-related problems like irritation, itching, flakiness, etc. Some common ways to dry your child’s hair are as follows:

• Air Dry: The most effective way to dry your kid’s hair is to let it dry naturally in the open air. This is ideal in warm environments. However, leaving hair wet in cold and humid temperatures can cause cold, cough, and other health problems. It is advised to keep the child warm while their hair air dry. 
• Towel: You can pat dry your baby’s hair with a soft towel. The cloth absorbs the excess water and makes drying easy. Besides, you can use a hooded towel to warm your kid’s head while drying the hair. Place the hood over the baby’s head and gently pat the hair dry. The towel will slowly absorb the moisture from the hair.

Do not use a blow dryer to dry your kid’s hair, as it can soak the moisture from their scalp. It can spoil all the good effects of baby care products used by you for their hair care. 

Best Tips for A Good Hair Wash for Kids

• Wash hair when needed: Avoid giving your child a hair wash daily or every other day. Frequent hair washing can remove the natural oil from the scalp, making it dry and rough. 
• Be patient: Most kids find sitting through the hair wash hard, so try to avoid it. Act gently and patiently with them. You can inform them about the importance of washing hair to convince them. 
• Use natural baby hair care products only: Try to limit the number of products with rich ingredients. The main hair wash essentials for kids are herbal baby shampoo, baby hair growth oil, conditioner, and comb. 
• Never use shampoos and hair oils made for adults on your kid: These products are likely to have a composition unsuitable for their sensitive skin. 

How to choose the right shampoo for kids?

The market is flooded with shampoos for kids. However, you must choose the one that suits your child’s needs. So, here are some tips to pick the best Ayurvedic baby shampoo for your baby’s sensitive hair.

• Choose a shampoo that is specifically formulated for kids. 
• Ensure the best baby shampoo has a natural and organic composition. It can contain good hair-friendly ingredients like Bhringraj, Neem, and Aloe Vera. Plus, the shampoo must be free from harmful chemicals. 
• Try to use a shampoo with a tear-free formula. This will ensure your kid doesn’t cry even if the shampoo enters their eyes. 
• The baby shampoo must have a pH between 4.5 and 6. A low pH keeps your child’s hair soft and silky, reduces scalp irritation, and prevents knots. 

Wrapping up

A good hair wash routine can do wonders for your little one’s hair. The magic lies in adopting the right practices and natural baby hair care products like herbal baby shampoo, natural baby hair oil, conditioner, and soft-bristled comb.

When pursued consistently, the hair wash practices mentioned here will foster a healthy routine that will give your child long, beautiful hair. Follow them and enjoy a comforting, nourishing, and fun hair wash with your little one.

FAQs

1. At what age can you wash a baby's hair?

You can wash a newborn’s hair, but only with water. It is advised to use shampoo when your baby is at least six months old. 

2. Should you shampoo your baby's hair every day?

No, you should not shampoo your baby’s hair daily as it may remove the natural oil from the scalp. 

3. Should you oil baby hair every day?

No, you should not use hair oil on your baby’s scalp every day. Excess oiling clogs pores, makes the scalp greasy, and causes dandruff. 

4. Can I leave baby oil in the baby's hair overnight?

Yes, you can leave oil in your baby’s hair overnight