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I don't have a child but I've always told myself that I won't cut my baby's hair when I do have one. My family and everyone else keep telling me all these stories about how the baby will get sick or have a big head or whatever. Personally, I think it's made up but I just need some assurance. Is it, for any reason, necessary to cut your baby's first hair?

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I'm guessing this is a cultural myth similar to "fan death" in Korea. It sounds utterly baffling and silly to anyone outside that culture.

No. There's no reason to cut your child's hair - particularly not for reasons of them having a "big head". And, if anything, if the child is very young and wiggly, cutting it can be dangerous as scissors for cutting hair must be quite sharp.

In fact, it's quite common to hear parents in the US complain that they don't want to cut off their children's hair because it won't be curly any more after being cut. Infants and young children often have curly hair which naturally straightens as they get older... cutting the hair isn't what causes it to be straight, it's just that the curly hair is what's cut off and the new growth isn't curly hair.

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  • However, one legitimate reason to not want to give a first haircut, or to delay it, is texture. The ends of hair that's been cut give it a slightly different texture than that from the ends of never-cut hairs, particularly with naturally straight hair.
    – Dan Henderson
    Apr 25, 2017 at 7:03
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I've found that it's best to quietly ignore a lot of the unsolicited advice given by friends and family to new parents.

On this topic, you definitely don't need to. But you might find that it's hard to keep it out of the baby's eyes if there is not yet enough to tie it out of the way. And of course, it's easier to wash shorter hair.

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My daughter is 3 month old and sometimes she pulls her hair knowingly or unknowingly. And then it hurts and she starts crying.

So this could also be a reason to cut a baby's hair.

Moreover, I personally think cutting hair will help in keeping the baby more hygienic (comparatively).

So it is not necessary but I would say we should cut their hair.

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I wouldn't say necessary. But you can do it either. My 18 months-old girl had very short hair since she was born. She looked almost bald for almost 12 months. However, her hair started to grow, very curly, and then we took an appointment at the hairdresser for her. Not only her hair was curlier after that, but even looked longer.

And, to reassure you, she didn't fell sick.

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    We wouldn't want to replace one misconception with another! Please cite a reliable source that cutting hair increases strength. Thanks!
    – anongoodnurse
    Apr 25, 2017 at 14:27
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    The children will have more strength, or the hair will have more strength?
    – Acire
    Apr 25, 2017 at 14:30
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    Trimming split ends is a kind of cutting, isn't it?
    – Joe
    Apr 25, 2017 at 18:32
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I have had this conversation with several mothers when I carry their babies. As a Nigerian, none have actually given a definitive answer as to why it is done. I am currently looking at a kid with hair unshaven, though I'm sure soon they will. Personally, I would never cut my child's hair when I have one. I love hair. I only recently shaved mine very low, so I can carry it all up and same length. But there isn't any medical effect of babies growing with the hair they were born with.

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