When Do Babies Lose Their Hair? And Why?

If your little one suddenly starts losing their hair, there’s no need to pull yours out too. Baby hair loss is totally normal — but when do babies lose their hair? And why??
Are you noticing little tufts of hair on your baby’s pillow or on the cot sheet and feeling anxious about it?

Maybe you’re spotting a few loose little strands when you dry them off after a wash, or possibly, clumps of hair coming out and you’re feeling anxious about it.

Don’t worry.

Baby hair loss is completely normal.

Here’s all the info you need.

In this article 📝

Do all newborns lose their hair?
Why do babies lose their hair?
How do I keep my newborn’s hair from falling out?
Are there any other reasons my baby could lose their hair?
How long does it take for newborn hair to grow back?

Do all newborns lose their hair?

Not all newborns lose their hair.

Many new little peanuts come out with no hair at all, in fact—so losing it isn’t an option.

But some newborns arrive complete with a thick mane of hair.

Others arrive with little tufts.

It can be a real mix.

And for the many with hair, it’s completely normal for them to lose it.

This usually happens after a few months.

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Why do babies lose their hair?

The main reason for newborn hair loss, also known as alopecia, is hormonal.

Newborns arrive chock full of all the same pregnancy hormones that have been sustaining you for the last few months.

Which makes sense, right?

Your hormones travel through your bloodstream, so the elevated levels of pregnancy hormones in you also cross the placenta and reach your little one.

Now that you’re no longer pregnant, you may be noticing a few changes yourself due to these hormones decreasing.

The baby blues and tender breasts are a couple of infamous things to grapple with, for example.

But there are other things, including losing that extra-luscious hair you might have gained during the peak of your pregnancy.

So, as the pregnancy hormones get flushed out of your little one too, they’re susceptible to many of the same sorts of changes, including losing some of that lovely hair—just like you.

This will usually happen when they are a few months old. It’s hard to say exactly.

How do I keep my newborn’s hair from falling out?

We’re sorry to bear the bad news here, you can’t.

The good news is it shouldn’t matter.

Losing their early tresses—whether completely or in patches—is just part of the adjustment their little bodies make as they begin life out in the big wide world, unattached to mama.

But this isn’t your little one’s last shot at growing their own hair.

Even though they might go through a few patchy months, your little peanut will grow a full head of their own hair eventually.

It might even be different in color and texture from what they started with.

Yet more surprises in store!

Are there any other reasons my baby could lose their hair?

There are a few other reasons why a baby might lose some hair.

Let’s take a look in case this is what’s behind your little one’s lock losses:

Rubbing on the back of the head

If you are noticing a small patch where soft little hair strands seem to be coming away from the same area it might be because of friction to the back of their head.

This is nothing to worry about.

The best thing to do is simply try and avoid aggravating the hair loss by not brushing their hair too roughly or often and see if you can get them off their back for more time.

Cradle cap

Cradle cap is a common skin condition that often affects newborns and small babies.

Its official name is “seborrheic dermatitis” and it causes small red flaky patches of skin on the scalp, which can also cause hair loss or hair weakness in the flaky areas.

Again, no need to worry.

Once the patches clear up, so will the hair loss.

Scalp ringworm

This is a very unlikely possibility in newborns and little babies, but it is a possibility as they get older, so here’s the lowdown: The scalp is one of the more common places for babies to get ringworm.

It isn’t a worm at all actually, but a fungal infection that they can pick up.

However, this is very unusual in babies under one year old, especially if they’re still at home with you and not interacting with a lot of other little ones.

Keep an eye out, and if it doesn’t heal or gets worse, chat to your doctor.

How long does it take for newborn hair to grow back?

While we can tell you with certainty that those beautiful soft little locks will emerge again, but we can’t tell you when exactly that’s going to happen.

It usually takes a few months, but in some cases, it can be up to a year—or even two.

Every little peanut is unique—and the time when their permanent hair appears is just one more reminder of that.

In the meantime though: try not to over-brush, use a comb when their hair is wet rather than a brush if you want something gentler, and use gentle shampoos and even mild oils if they have cradle cap to help soothe any flaking.

The patchiness will clear up in no time and sooner than you know it, your peanut will have their own true tresses to be proud of!

More questions on baby hair loss? Chat to other mamas in the Peanut community.