18 Month Old Hair Not Growing....

Hi H.,

I'm working on a PhD in Biology and I can tell you that this is absolutely an old wives' tale. Cutting the hair will reduce split ends, which I'm not sure are terribly common in an 18 month old as they are largely caused by brushing your hair, but it will not make your hair grow any faster. The timing of hair growth is controlled by two things: hormones and genetics. Your daughter's hair may also be fine (someone asked if she is blond, which is correlated with fine hair), which can be caused in two ways: 1) the hair shaft itself is thinner than average, or 2) there are fewer hair follicles than average. Both of these are controlled by genetics. Hormones also regulate when hair grows and when it falls out. I'm sure many of us experienced "shedding" after we gave birth, and it is thought that much male-pattern baldness is caused by higher than average testosterone levels. So I say leave your daughter's lovely little curl intact, and just say "thanks for the advice" to folks who suggest you cut it.

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H.,
I heard Dr. Oz (Oprah's Doctor) say that it is a myth to cut your hair to make it grow or get thicker. It will only appear a bit thicker, but in reality, it isn't. Also, he said that everyone's hair grows something like 1/2 inch a month regardless of who they are (unless, of course, they are bald). He said this for men and women, as well as kids.
Many kids don't get much hair until they are two or three, so I say, just don't worry about it, it will grow in its own time.

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Hi - yes - that is true. Same as our hair, if you'll notice how quick your hair grows right after you cut it.

I did not want to cut my daughters hair, but it would not fill in. One night I just decided to wack it off and it has grown back quickly and beautifully. It is very full, also. She was about 18 months when I cut hers.

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Yes it's true if you trim her hair a little it should grow thicker but I would only do it if you want to and not because of other people's comments, her hair will grow soon enough.

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When I was about 10, I asked my mom if I could shave my legs. She said you don't want to do that, it'll be thicker if you do. So I didn't, then in middle school, when we had to start dressing out for PE, I got teased about my hairy legs (I may be only 1/4 italian, but I got the hair genes). It wasn't dark, because I was always outside, but it was noticable. So I started using her razor in the shower...my hair is not thicker. It's darker because it's not sun-bleached, but not thicker. I don't think cutting or shaving hair makes it grow faster or thicker or stronger or whatever. It is what it is. Unfortunately, in the hair texture game, you gotta play with the hand you're dealt. If you don't mind it, don't worry about it. Tell the will meaning other people you want to leave it and see what happens.

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Hi, I have triplets..2 girls and 1 boy...I daughters hair grew fast..the other daughter people always asked if she was a boy till she was 2..I used to get angry as her ears were pierced as well as her almost always being in a dress..IT WILL GROW...Ignore ignorant people

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Hair is dead-so cutting it does not affect it AT ALL. SO this includes shaving and cutting...
http://www.snopes.com/oldwives/hairgrow.asp

If it doesn't bother you don't cut it. I would just wait it out for it all to get a bit longer then may try to cut the longer parts to even it out...

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You need to trim the girls hair to thicken it, and to style it, also it keeps the split ends from ruining your hair, There is alot of baby fine hair that needs to be trimed and the hair grows bringing out the natural hair.

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You seem to already have alot of advice but I wanted to add my thoughts as well...My little girl (will be three in July) only recently started growing hair (she's very excited to have a ponytail like her friend...how could I cut it!). My Mother tells me that I also didn't have much hair till I was past two years. I'm a hairstylist and though it seems hair may appear to grow faster and feel thicker when regulary trimmed it does not happen because of it. It seems everyone is an expert and that including the nosey person who stands behind you in line and gives suggestions on how to deal with your child! Enjoy your little curl for as long as you want and do what you feel is good and right for your child!
Enjoy your day!

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H.,
Forget what other people are saying. If you are proud of the growth your child had already then do not cut her hair. My daughters hair really didnt start growing for the longest time. Every child is different. I know someone who's daughter had full long hair by the time she was 20 months but my daughter who is 3.5 just accomplished having hair below the shoulder.
I believe that hair really doesn't start to grow well until most children are 2yr. old. So wait a little bit longer and just tell people that you would rather just wait for her hair to come in on its own.
E.

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Hi H.,
We have 4 children and my first child had so much hair, when she was born and we had to cut it by the time she was 6 months, because it was getting in her eyes and the second 2 didn't have much hair and we only cut their hair until it started getting uneven, or getting in their eyes, which was well after a year. I had a cousin who didn't get hair until she was 3, which I guess what I'm trying to say is that your daughter's hair will grow in it's own time and everyone is different. I never noticed a difference in hair growth after I cut their hair, but it's up to you whether you want to cut it or not. In my opinion, I would just enjoy her little curl and the wisps she's starting to get, it will come in! :)
Take care!
V.

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i wouldn't worry about it that young. different children mature at different rates so just give it some time and don't worry about those who say things about her hair not growing fast enough. god made everyone a little different to grow at their own pace.

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My 15-year-old has the thickest hair of all my girls and I did not cut her hair at all until she was almost 6. My 9-year-old has thinner hair like mine and I've cur hers a lot because she is so active. I think the thickness of the hair is more determined by genes than by how much you cut it.

DO WHAT YOU WANT... don't worry about what other people say. She is YOUR child, not theirs.

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Don't worry about her hair or what other people say and for what little hair she has-don't trim! It's an old wives tales that it grows back thicker. If she actually had hair trimming it would make it appear a bit thicker but since she doesn't really have any you'll just end up with a bald baby! http://pregnancyandbaby.com/pregnancy/baby/Caring-for-you... My son was bald until he was waaaaay over a year old and now he's got enough hair for 3 kids!

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My daughter is almost 20 mos old. I have trimmed her hair 2-3 times and each time it definately grew in thicker and faster. However, if it's not bothering you, then who cares what other people say. You do what YOU want.

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All children grow at different rates,hair included. Our oldest daughter was past two before you could see her hair except around the edges. There was more there than you could see partially due to it's light color. We also had the cut it and it will be thicker.She eventually grew a beautiful head of darker colored hair. We didn't follow the cut it advice. Whatever you decide is best for your precious one,IS the best. M.

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My Lily didn't have hair until she was two. I didn't cut her hair until it was in her eyes. She now has the most beautiful hair. Enjoy that little bald head as long as you can, b/c you only have a few more months of it.

=)

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Dear H.,

My family has owned a salon for over 13 years now and i can tell you that the healthiest thing to do for your daughters hair is too keep it trimmed, once every six weeks. The reason being is, if hair is not kept trimmed, you get split ends, eventually the split ends works their way up the hair shaft and end up breaking off anyways, thus you never get anywhere! But if you keep everything trimmed and nice and neat and even, then her hair will have a chance to grow and thicken into luxerious locks *smiles* Just another note for you mothers out there, any type of baby shampoo, (wont burn the eyes) is one of the worst things that we can use on our lil girls hair(boys get their hair cut more often so not *as* bad) but if you look on the label you will see Q-15, which is actually famaldihyde! And i think we all know what that stuff can do! Plus the chemicals they put in that stuff to make it so it wont burn their eyes dries out the hair and strips away the natural oils we produce!
L.
www.TheMomTeam.com/lajeanhuntley
Moms helping Moms across the country!

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don't bother. my little girl didn't have much hair for the longest time and now it's filled int but it's still not long and she's going to be 2 in a few weeks. we all know it doesn't bother them. so if it doesn't bother you, who cares! :) It's about to get very hot down here anyway, she'll appreciate the short hair when she's playing.

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Hello H.,

Both of my girls, now 10 and 5 had basically no hair until they were 2 years. And what little they did have, I couldn't bare to take from them. I have not heard that this will cause them to have more hair. My son on the other hand, has loads of hair since birth, he is not yet 2 and we had to have to cut his hair several times and even have it thinned out. I believe you are either born with it or your not.

Good Luck,

J. W

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really it won't grow anymore. hair is dead cells. But look at your husband and your baby pictures at that age and look at the hair. It will grow eventually. She's probably blond is my guess. But gelitin makes nails harder or stronger, so maybe more jello. Only cut it if it's becomming scraggley looking.

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Neither of my children had hair until 3 years. I wouldn't cut it until you ABSOLUTELY had too. Enjoy the baby wisps now - it won't last forever.

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