A gentle wash day
- For children aged 8 to 12 with dry, curly hair, including braids or weaves, the American Academy of Dermatology suggests shampooing every 7 to 10 days, with a rinse and conditioner after heavy sweating or swimming. Wash a little more often if the scalp looks oily, less often if the hair looks dull or feels dry.
- Use a mild shampoo on the scalp and let it rinse through the lengths.
- Put in plenty of conditioner and detangle in small sections with fingers or a wide-tooth comb, ends first.
- Rinse, add a little leave-in, and style while hair is wet.
- Keep it short: two shorter sessions beat one long one.
Styles that don’t pull
Loose puffs, twists and braids that don’t hurt protect hair between washes. The American Academy of Dermatology’s rule for braids and weaves applies to children too: if a style hurts, it is too tight, and repeated pulling can damage the hair along the edges.
Products
Fewer is better: a shampoo, a conditioner with good slip, a leave-in and perhaps a soft gel. Read the label of anything new, keep products out of eyes, and stop anything that makes the scalp red or itchy. Products made for adults may say on the label whether they suit children; follow that, and start with a small amount.
When to ask a doctor
Patches of hair loss, a scaly or very itchy scalp, or sores are for your child’s doctor or a dermatologist, not a wash-day change.
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