When Will Baby's Bald Spot Grow In?

Are you worried about your baby's bald spot? You're not alone! When my husband and I first encountered this with our baby Zoe so many things ran through our minds: Why is this happening? When will her bald spot grow back? Is it getting bigger?!!  Many parents experience this common issue with their infant, and it can be a source of worry and concern. But don't fret - there are ways to help the process along so that your precious little one's hair will grow back faster. In this article, we'll discuss why babies get bald spots in the first place, how long it takes for them to grow back, and tips on helping baby’s hair grow back faster. With these helpful pieces of advice, you can have peace of mind knowing that your baby's beautiful locks will soon return!

Bald spots on babies are a common occurrence, and there are several reasons why this can happen. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, hormone changes during the first 3 months of life may cause bald spots. This is due to increased levels of androgens, which can cause the baby's hair follicles to enter a resting phase, resulting in hair loss. Additionally, constant friction against baby’s hair from everyday items such as bed sheets, changing pads, nursing pillows and playmats can also contribute to bald spots (a tell tale sign that this may be the case is if the bald spot is isolated to the back of their head).  

According to Babycenter, it is common to see baby hair loss peak around 3 months of age and take until around 12 months of age to grow back in. It could take longer depending on how severe the hair loss is and what caused it in the first place. As a parent, that can feel like forever as you're going through the journey, so having a rough sense of timing can help to calm some of the anxiety you may be feeling. However, rest assured that with proper care you can help speed up the process of growing back your baby's hair. 

When it comes to helping baby's bald spot grow back faster, the most important thing is to reduce friction against their hair as much as possible. This means being mindful of things that can be causing friction against their hair. Some common examples include their bed sheets, changing pad, nursing pillow and playmat. Consider this stat, in a baby’s first year of life they spend an average of 17 hours sleeping on their backs! For this reason, switching your baby's bed sheets to satin crib sheets can yield the biggest dividend when it comes to hair regrowth. Satin is a softer fabric than cotton and many other materials and reduces friction against baby's delicate hair, minimizing irritation and allowing the hair follicles to regrow faster. In some cases, parents have seen their babies' bald patches grow back within a few months after making this simple switch! 

Additionally, you should make sure their hair remains clean but be careful not to over wash their hair as this can dry out their scalp and lead to further irritation. Babycenter recommends limiting hair washing to about 2 times a week for this reason (and says even once a week can be ideal for babies with textured curls) in order to help your baby's hair to retain moisture.

We hope this article helped you to see that while experiencing baby hair loss can be alarming at first, it is generally nothing to be concerned about. Baby bald spots are a common occurrence and with the right care and attention you can rest assured that your baby will have their full head of hair again in no time. As a tip, switching to satin crib sheets is a really effective way of reducing friction against your baby's delicate hair while they sleep, allowing their hair to rest and regrow faster over time. Additionally, being mindful of how often you wash baby's hair during the week can also be helpful in order to help your baby's hair and scalp to retain the moisture it needs to foster healthy hair growth. With these helpful tips in mind, your baby’s beautiful locks should soon be restored!

P.S. In case you're curious, below is a before and after photo of Zoe's hair after five months of making the switch to satin crib sheets. Her bald spot grew in several months ahead of the standard 12 month timeframe thanks to a simple change we made to her bedding. 

Grab a set of CutieCozy satin crib sheets today and help protect your baby's hair as it grows!  

With Love,

Ayisha Lee