My baby is losing his hair in a funny pattern!

I knew that babies lose hair after birth, but I thought it was all at once! It turns out, thanks no longer passing hair growth hormones, a phase called “telogen” sets in, causing a newborn’s hair to fall out, and for some baby’s all at once! The phase is immediately followed up with a new phase of hair growth.

For us, Oliver lost all the hair on the top of his head in the first 4 weeks. Then his hair stopped falling out. Now in the last week (week 9), this perfect line of hair loss around his head has formed. What got me confused is why the top, then the line around the sides, but nothing else?

Right Side

Left Side

Top Side

Ollie was born with a full head of brown hair. The new hair growth appears to be a light brown to blonde color, but who knows until it all falls out, then grows back. I just hope the cycle happens sooner than later. I wish it would have all fallen out at the same time.

I found out a newborn's hormone levels drop right after birth, which can cause the hair loss. The same applies to new moms. So if you find yourself going bald too... Good News, that's normal! > ; o

Some babies lose their hair in such a way that it never looks like they lost any at all.  The old hair falls out as the new hair grows back. So not all babies go bald, just like some are born with hair some without. Babies lose their hair in different patterns and stages from the next, and most times it grows back a different color than they were born with.

To care for baby’s hair during this phase try the following:

Don’t wash your baby’s hair every day. Particularly with newborns, there’s just no need. Aim for a quick shampoo when you bathe your baby, which doesn’t need to be more often than a couple times a week.

Be extra gentle during shampoos. Normal washing can stress hair follicles and speed up hair loss or breakage.

Detangle after bath gently with a very soft brush wide-toothed comb.

Avoid headbands or ponytails that pull your baby’s hair back too tightly, which can damage it.