Baby Hair Falling Out in the First Year: Is It Normal?
Hair that falls out in a baby’s first year is usually normal, and it usually grows back. The useful check is what the scalp looks like while it happens. Calm skin and new hair coming through point to normal shedding, while scales that do not settle, broken hairs or round bald patches mean a visit to the doctor. This guide shows how to tell the two apart.
At a glance
- How common: almost all babies lose some or all of their early hair in the first months.
- Where: some babies lose more at the back of the head.
- Regrowth: the hair grows back normally over a few months.
- Doctor visit: a routine checkup is a good time to raise any ongoing loss.
- See a doctor for: scaly or red patches that spread or do not settle, broken hairs, pus, swelling, or round bald spots.
Prefer to listen? This post as a 2 min video · Watch the video
Why do babies lose hair in the first year?
Almost all babies will have some, and sometimes all, of their hair fall out during the first few months of life. Pediatric guidance describes this as normal and to be expected, and the hair grows back. Old hair is shed and new hair follows, so the bald look is not a sign that the hair has gone for good.
Parents often notice it first in the bath or on a pillow, and that can be alarming. The useful questions are whether the scalp looks calm and whether new hair is coming through over the following weeks.
Why does the back of the head look thinner?
Some babies lose more hair on the back of the head than on other parts of the scalp. The hair grows back normally over a few months, so the thinning is usually temporary. A home check cannot tell you why it happens in your baby, so judge it by regrowth.
How do you tell normal shedding from a problem?
- Look at the skin first. Calm skin with no scales or redness points to normal shedding.
- Check for scaly or red patches. Red or spreading scales, or scales that do not settle with gentle care, need a closer look, and a doctor is the right person to do it.
- Look for broken hairs. Short broken hairs in a patch, with itch or redness, are a reason to see a doctor, because scalp ringworm can cause this pattern.
- Check any bald spots. Round or oval bald spots on the scalp are a reason to get checked, because more than one cause can look similar at home.
- Watch regrowth over weeks. If new hair keeps coming through, the loss is more likely to be the normal kind.
The monthly photo
Photograph the bald area once a month, in the same light and from the same angle. Day-to-day checking misses slow change, and a dated set of photos is useful to show the doctor at a checkup.
What about cradle cap and hair loss?
Cradle cap is a scaly rash on a baby’s scalp. DermNet says it is most commonly seen between about three weeks and 12 months of age, with the peak around three months, and that it usually clears without treatment over weeks to several months. The NHS notes that hair may come away with the scales, and that it will soon grow back.
Gentle care is the usual first step: massage a plain emollient or coconut oil into the scalp, brush gently with a soft brush, and wash with baby shampoo. The step-by-step is in the cradle cap guide. See a GP if the cradle cap does not improve after a few weeks of treatment, if the crusts bleed or ooze fluid, if the affected areas become puffy or inflamed, or if it spreads across most of the body.
When could it be scalp ringworm instead?
Scalp ringworm, called tinea capitis, can look like hair loss, but it usually comes with scaly or red patches and itch. Broken hair shafts can show as small black dots, and in some cases the patch develops pustules or becomes a swollen, boggy plaque. It needs medicine taken by mouth for at least four weeks, because creams, oils and home packs cannot reach the root of the hair, so a doctor needs to prescribe it. The signs and the treatment path are in the scalp ringworm article, and the washing and oiling routine is in the kids hair care guide.
Find more hair guidance in the Hair Care hub.
Bottom line: if the scalp is calm and new hair is coming through, the hair loss is usually the normal kind. Red or spreading scales, broken hairs, pus, swelling or round bald spots are the signs that make a doctor’s check worth the trip.
Take a baby to a doctor, rather than trying a home remedy, if you see red or spreading scaly patches, broken hairs, pus, swelling, crusts that bleed or a round bald spot. Do not put camphor, Vicks, menthol, eucalyptus or mustard oil with camphor on or near a baby, and do not apply anything to a bald patch with broken skin. A fever in a baby under 3 months needs a doctor the same day, whatever the scalp looks like.
Baby hair falling out: questions parents search
Is it normal for baby hair to fall out in the first year?
Yes, almost all babies lose some or all of their early hair in the first months, and it usually grows back. Look at whether the scalp is calm and whether new hair is coming through.
Is baby hair falling out at 3 months normal?
Yes, shedding in the first few months is common, so watch the regrowth rather than the date alone. If patches are red, spreading, round or swollen, see a doctor.
Why does a baby lose hair at the back of the head?
Some babies lose more there than elsewhere, and it grows back over a few months. A home check cannot say why, so judge the area by regrowth over time.
Is newborn hair falling out normal?
Yes, it is common in the first months, and the new hair follows. See a doctor for red or spreading scales, broken hairs, pus or round bald spots.
Does cradle cap make baby hair fall out?
Hair can come away with the loose scales, and it grows back. See a GP if the cradle cap does not improve after a few weeks of treatment.
How do you stop baby hair from falling out?
Normal shedding does not need stopping. Keep the scalp clean and gentle, and let the regrowth happen on its own.
Does oil or massage make baby hair grow back faster?
Normal shedding grows back on its own, so there is no need to buy a product for it. For oil choice and massage safety, see the baby massage oil guide.
Can a bald patch on a baby’s head be ringworm?
Yes, that is one possibility, and it needs a doctor to check. Ringworm usually shows scaly or red patches and broken hairs, and it needs prescribed treatment.
Can a baby have round bald spots?
Round or oval bald spots are a reason to get checked, because more than one cause can look alike at home. A doctor can tell the causes apart and say what to do next.
When should a baby see a doctor for hair loss?
See a doctor for red or spreading scaly patches, broken hairs, pus, swelling, bleeding crusts, round bald spots, or any ongoing loss that worries you.