Many common hair care prac-
tices can lead to lackluster locks.
Everything from rubbing shampoo
into your hair rather than your scalp
and brushing your hair while it is
wet can damage your hair. Damaged
hair looks and feels unhealthy.
Teaching your child how to
shampoo
Healthy hair care begins with
learning how to wash the hair
without damaging it. When your
child is ready to start shampooing,
follow these steps to help your child
develop healthy hair-care habits.
Wet hair and scalp with warm
water. Shampoo works best on wet
heads and hair.
Pour a quarter-size drop of
shampoo in the palm of your child’s
hand. Putting the shampoo in the
hand first makes it easier to apply.
Tell your child to massage the
shampoo gently into the scalp.
When shampooing, it’s important to
wash the scalp rather than the entire
length of the hair. Washing only the
hair often leads to flyaway hair that
is dull and coarse. Rubbing sham-
poo into the hair can break hairs,
leading to unhealthy looking hair.
Rinse well with warm water until
the hair is suds-free. Rinsing well
washes away shampoo and dirt.
Cover hair with a towel. Help your
child wrap a towel around the wet
hair. This helps to absorb the water.
Rubbing hair dry with a towel can
damage the hair, causing it to break.
Comb out damp
hair gently. Use a
wide-tooth comb,
especially on curly
hair. Don’t yank
or pull the comb
through the hair
because that can
pull out hair or
break the hair.
Dermatologists’
advice on condi-
tioners for kids:
Children with dry
or curly hair should
use a conditioner.
Teaching your child other
healthy hair care habits
Many things that we do to style
our hair actually damage our hair.
Over the years, this damage can
accumulate, leading to unhealthy
and unattractive hair. The best way
to prevent unhealthy hair is to teach
children healthy habits for taking
care of their hair.
