How to Blow Dry a Baby's Hair

When the occasion calls for baby to look his best, parents pull out all the stops. However, before he can sit up on his own, there's not much you can do in terms of styling his hair. By the time he is 8 months old, a baby can usually hold himself in an upright position -- at least long enough to get his hair styled. While the easiest styling method is simply to allow baby's hair to air-dry, sometimes a blow dryer does a better job. You must use caution, however, to prevent burning his delicate skin. Set the dryer on a low heat setting and continuously move the dryer around the head.

Have your baby sit on the floor. Comb the wet hair to remove any tangles. If baby's hair is curly or coarse, start at the bottom and carefully comb any tangles out as you move toward the scalp. You can spritz a tiny bit of hair detangler on the ends to make combing easier; just try to steer clear of the scalp.

Place the hair dryer on a cool or low setting. Hold the dryer 6 inches or further away from the baby's head. Use your fingers or a comb to manipulate the hair with one hand while holding and continuously moving the dryer around in the other hand.

Add a flip to the end of baby's hair by placing a small round brush into the hair about a half inch from the bottom. Curl the brush up a bit with one hand and move the hair dryer back and forth evenly over the brush as you dry the hair. Carefully pull the brush through to reveal a little curl. Repeat if necessary.

Place a comb at the roots and carefully drag it downward with one hand as you follow with the blow dryer in the other hand at 6 inches or further away from the hair. Remember to continuously move the dryer around and point it in the direction you're combing. Continue this over the entire head to achieve a smooth, blown-dry straight style.

Tips

Use natural hair products that are free of dyes and perfumes.

Warnings

Never use a blow dryer on an infant -- a newborn under 28 days old.

Never leave a baby unattended next to the hair dryer.

Never operate a hair dryer near water.

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