A newly born full-term baby has two types of hair. Terminal hairs grow on the scalp and eyebrows, but nowhere else. All the rest of the hair is vellus hair.
As the baby grows, the hair on the head grows too. There are two periods during which hair grows rapidly on the scalp. In both, the hair growth begins at the forehead and then extends to the back of the neck. When the baby is two or three mdnths old, the first hairs may be shed naturally over an area on the back of the head. This is often mistakenly thought to be due to head rubbing; hairs broken by rubbing may, however, be found on other parts of the head as well.
During the first year of the baby's life, all the hairs on the head grow at the same rate. At that time the head carries an even covering of hair. Then the individual hairs begin to grow independently, at different rates and in different cycles (you will read about hair growth cycles later in this chapter). Growth patterns called 'mosaics' develop.
Many children's hair shows features which are lost in adulthood. These include:
As the baby grows, the hair on the head grows too. There are two periods during which hair grows rapidly on the scalp. In both, the hair growth begins at the forehead and then extends to the back of the neck. When the baby is two or three mdnths old, the first hairs may be shed naturally over an area on the back of the head. This is often mistakenly thought to be due to head rubbing; hairs broken by rubbing may, however, be found on other parts of the head as well.
During the first year of the baby's life, all the hairs on the head grow at the same rate. At that time the head carries an even covering of hair. Then the individual hairs begin to grow independently, at different rates and in different cycles (you will read about hair growth cycles later in this chapter). Growth patterns called 'mosaics' develop.
Many children's hair shows features which are lost in adulthood. These include:
- Unruly hair which sticks straight up
- Atural curls
- Hair without pigment, which darkens as the child grow