Waiting for a baby is a time of joy, changes, discoveries, and anxieties for the woman and everyone around her. Moms count the days until they can hold their baby in their arms and see what they will look like, what eye color they’ll have, if they’ll resemble their father or mother—so many details that make them anxious up until the day of birth. Another common curiosity is about the hair. Will the hair be straight, curly, or coily?.
The Role of Genes
Hair, like other body features, is something unique to each individual. It’s a trait defined by genetics1, inherited partly from the mother and partly from the father. But why are some people born with straight hair, others with curls, and others with coils? Because it’s a person’s genetics, the mix of the father’s and mother’s genes, that will determine the texture of the hair strands. To be more precise, it’s the trichohyalin gene2 that determines what kind of hair a child will have. This is an inherited gene, passed from parents to children.
IMPORTANT: There are cases where both parents have straight hair and the baby is born with curly or vice versa. This can happen due to the genetic influence of relatives, such as grandparents, for example.
When the mother has straight hair and the father has curly hair, the baby has a 50% chance of being born with either straight or curly hair. What will determine the child’s hair type is the dominant gene—that is, which of the two genes, the mother’s or father’s, will prevail. And even though the strands may be very fine in the beginning, the baby’s hair already carries the parents’ genetic inheritance.
Changes in Hair
A baby’s hair might be straight when very young and become curly as they grow. This change in strands happens because the structure of a baby’s hair is different from that of an adult. You can only know exactly what the baby’s hair will be like after some time has passed since birth, because in the first few months the hair begins to fall out and new hair grows in its place. But there’s no need to worry about your baby’s hair falling out3. It’s common and everyone goes through this. The new strands that grow after some time will give you an idea of what your baby’s hair will really be like. And just like texture changes, hair color can also shift. For example, it’s normal for children who were born blonde to have brown hair as adults. This happens because after birth, the body is still processing skin pigmentation. During pregnancy, babies aren’t exposed to sunlight, and it’s only after a while that melanin production starts to increase. Therefore, moms need to be patient to find out exactly what their baby’s hair will be like, as even after birth the hair undergoes changes in color and texture. From 6 months on it starts to take on its final characteristics: straight, curly, coily, fine, or thick. It’s also worth highlighting the importance of caring for your baby’s hair from birth. It’s essential to use shampoo and conditioner specifically for children, always brush the hair gently, and opt for soft-bristled brushes. Taking care of hair is crucial for it to grow stronger and healthier.See also: Dwarfism – Types, Causes, and ComplicationsPhoto: Pexels
