Another effect of wearing a helmet can be that skin cells, which naturally fall away, aren’t able to as before. Again, this is just the same as when a cast is worn. With a helmet, this is easily managed by ensuring that your baby has a healthy and problem-free scalp. This will reduce the accumulation of skin cells and natural oils which may cause irritation to your baby’s head. Simply bathing your baby and cleaning their head with baby shampoo will ensure clean skin and hair.
Similarly, keeping your baby’s helmet clean at all times protects the helmet from the same build-up of sweat and oils. There are various ways of keeping the TiMbandAir clean, all of which ensure a comfortable and friction-free wear for your baby. For example, simply wiping the inside of the helmet once or twice a day with a normal baby wipe and then wiping it dry. It's important to make sure that both the helmet and your baby’s head are completely dry before placing the helmet back onto the head, as a wet head or helmet can be the source of irritation.
Some babies feel the urge to itch their head after the helmet is removed. This is natural and nothing to worry about. But to prevent your baby from damaging their skin or hair when doing so, it is a good idea to make sure that their fingernails are short and smooth. Another great way of relieving itchiness is through massaging your baby’s head yourself, a gentle relief and a great way of increasing circulation that stimulates hair follicles.
If You are Concerned that Your Baby May Have a Restriction in Hair Growth
Steve Mottram explained the following when addressing parents’ questions on Facebook:
“All babies have different hairlines and some seem to have thicker hair than others. I think that this can be related to hair colour with the fairer hair being finer than darker hair. Also, you may remember that when first born, your baby developed a bald spot where the hair was rubbing on the bed covers and even clothes can wear away hair. I know that men who wear shorts certainly have longer leg hair than those who wear trousers! I'm sure that some of what you're seeing is related to this normal friction on fabrics. Finally, as your child grows and certainly into puberty, you'll see a massive change in hair strength and coverage as the hormones start to kick in.”
The TiMbandAir
As explained above, hair length can be normally restricted due to friction from fabrics. However, friction is minimal in the TiMbandAir. With all TiMbandAirs being custom-made using a safe photographic scan of your baby’s head, the helmet is comfortable and well-fitted to their head, with only minor adjustments to promote shape correction. Due to the helmet remaining snug and stable on the head, there are not many areas where the helmet could cause friction and reduce hair length. However, it's important to note that the changes in hair growth are not permanent and hair will continue to grow normally inside a helmet and when it is removed.
If you would like more information or advice, do not hesitate to contact our friendly team who will be happy to help.
