When you are thinking about a hairbrush for your baby there are a number of factors to consider. You want to avoid discomfort for your little one when you brush their hair, and you want hair brushing time to be a positive experience. Their fine hair and scalp are quite delicate to that of older children and adults, therefore a hairbrush specifically designed for babies is ideal. Read on to discover the factors that need to be considered when finding a hairbrush for your little one.
1. Soft Bristles
Soft bristles are the first essential feature for a good baby hair brush. The scalp and hair of your baby is delicate and soft and using a brush with a hard bristle like on your own hairbrush is certainly not appropriate. The bristles of a soft baby brush may not seem to be very effective, but because a baby typically has soft fine hair the bristles are perfect, giving their hair a soft and silky shine. Gentleness is key when it comes to treating your baby’s scalp and hair!
2. Soft on the Scalp
When you choose a soft bristle brush for your baby, you are not only considering their fine hair, but also their delicate scalp. Because a baby’s hair is often very fine, you are brushing their scalp just as much as their hair. The last thing you want to do is scratch their head! If you use a harsh brush it could actually be quite a painful experience for your baby. Their skull is not yet completely fused when they are small, so extra care must be taken when brushing over their soft spots.
3. Babies Love to Brush Their Own Hair
Babies are continually learning, and they learn by watching. It’s surprising how they will want to brush their own hair too! Letting them use their hairbrush stimulates tactile exploration, and you want to make sure there’s no danger of them being spiked. A soft bristle brush won’t cause much damage if they want to carry it around the house, just make sure they don’t hide it!
4. Materials
There are a number of materials that can be used as effective hair brushes for adults; horse hair, boar hair, nylon, wood, or even metal. Most of these are inappropriate for your baby hair brush. Synthetic fibres can be designed to be soft, and if you’re looking for a natural fibre you can’t go past the beautifully soft goat hair bristles. They are gentle yet can stimulate the scalp appropriately, and are more robust than synthetic bristles so will tend to bounce back better when squashed. Test the bristles on your hand so you can tell how soft the brush is before you use it on your baby.
There are a number of advantages of choosing an appropriate brush for your baby’s hair. It is gentle on their head, they can have a turn at brushing their own hair, and you won’t need to worry about it damaging their scalp. You can be confident that you’re giving their hair and head the best possible care.
Wishing you the BerryBest!
Heather & the BerryBest Baby™ team
