Yes, baby hair straight on top curly on the back can happen, and it’s just the way of the hair pattern. Hair can be straight naturally, however, small curly locks on the back can appear.
It is totally natural to have a mix of curl patterns in one’s head. Why you probably wonder. Well, as always, genetics is the thing to blame.
The exact reason why a person can have a natural mix of curl patterns is unknown to scientists. However, they assumed that this occurs when two or more curl patterns combine in one’s genetics. And you end up with a mixed curl pattern!
Why does my baby have straight and curly hair?
Baby hair straight on top curly on the back is probably why you wonder why your baby has mixed hair. This is because your baby probably inherited a different curly pattern.
The gene for curly hair from one parent, and the gene for straight hair from another. A mix of those genes results in wavy hair in the child. With age as the child grows, the size of the hair by diameter will change.
The hair on the back has a smaller diameter. Therefore, it will curl up even though the underlying gene is straight. It’s because there’s much more hormone stimulation to form larger and larger strands of hair on top of the head (scalp).
This phenomenon is very common among Asians as well as other ethnic groups. If your baby’s father has wavy or curly hair you will notice that your baby also starts with tight curls which then loosen into waves as she/he gets older.
If your baby looks like he/she has short curly hair but does not seem to be growing new strands anymore, it probably means his/her growth cycle has already been completed and all you see now are the leftover hairs from their last curl locks.
Why is the back of my baby hair a different texture?
When babies are born they will probably have lanugo hair. That hair is more different than the terminal hair the baby will get. This lanugo hair is very soft, thin, and fluffy and it will disappear in the first weeks or months of the infant’s life.
As your child grows, the diameter of the follicles in his or her scalp will enlarge. Gradually, the diameter of the follicle increases, while the shape of the follicle changes into an adult form.
Why is my hair curly when my baby is straight?
That is probably because the gene, in this case, the dominant gene curls, didn’t overpower the gene for straight hair. The baby probably inherited straight hair from another parent or some ancestor.
However, if you still have a newborn, be patient because the baby’s hair might change and the baby can get curls.
The curls are also genetically programmed like height and eye color. As the baby grows the hair will drastically change its texture and its original color. The hair will become progressively thicker as the child reaches adulthood, but it will become thinner again around middle and old age.
Does cutting a baby’s hair change texture?
Probably many parents have heard that if you cut or shave a baby’s hair it will become much thicker later in childhood. This refers to curls as well. Baby hair straight on top curly on the back, makes parents cut the baby’s curl lock to make them go away.
It is quite interesting what parents tend to do. While some are into cutting a baby’s hair to make it thicker, some parents wonder why is their baby born with no hair. Whichever is your case, know that your baby is healthy with or without hair or curls.
This is not helpful, and you will just end up with a bald baby. A child’s hair will not change, and its texture will remain the same because the baby’s hair quality is determined by genetics, not how it’s cut.
The only time that the hair can change, even at an older age, is when the person is undergoing chemotherapy.
How do I know what type of hair my baby will have?
While being pregnant, you can’t predict what type of hair your baby will have, but you can assume according to the hair of you and your partner.
After the birth, if the baby has the natural wave without completely curling up, your child has wavy hair. If the hair is curling up in larger curls, the child has curly hair. And last but not least, if the curls appear in tightly wound curls, your little one has coily hair.
Of course, let’s not forget about straight hair. If the hair has no signs of curl locks or a wavy appearance, the child will probably have straight hair.
Summary
A baby’s hair can drastically change after birth. That’s why many people wonder why their baby hair straight on top curly on the back. That’s probably because the baby inherited the mixed hair pattern.
We don’t have a specific explanation why this happened but the good thing to know is that your baby is healthy and there’s nothing wrong with it. If so, babies look even cuter with those mixed hair locks.
It is said and assumed that mixed hair is the result of combining two or more hair patterns in one’s genes. Whatever the reason, the baby looks adorable. Parents can assume what type of hair the baby will have by simply looking at each other’s hair but it is much more complex than that.
The child will probably inherit the gene that is dominant, and in this situation, when curls are present, there is a big chance that the baby will have curls if one parent has them.
