Baby Wigs for Bald Babies? Are Wigs Safe for Babies -- or Even Necessary?

by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff

Image © Roger Schultz; Flickr.com

According to reports from various sources, such as TheFrisky and DailyMail, parents have been using baby wigs to enhance the look of their infants. This trend may be most popular with parents of bald babies. Is a baby wig necessary for a bald infant? Is it safe?

Bald Babies
Probably since the beginning of time, some babies are naturally born bald. It's simply a fact of life. Does this mean there is something wrong with the way these babies look? Apparently, that depends on who you ask. Some parents support the use of wigs on babies, especially girls, for reasons like making them appear more girly or look like celebrities. Other parents, such as myself, oppose the use of wigs on infants for any reason. Which of us is right?

Why Some Parents Support Using a Baby Wig
According to another report on TheFrisky.com, one mother sent pictures of her infant in a lace front wig to another website. The report stated in the mother's view it's never too early for a child start looking as glamorous as stars like Beyonce. Looking at the picture, to me the baby looks no more than six months old. Another website, Baby Bangs, creates hairbands for baby girls that have hair attached to them. This site claims that the wigs allow baby girls who have little to no hair the chance to look girly.

Why Some Parents and Experts Are Against Wigs for Babies
According to DailyMail, Michelle Elliott of Kidscape said "This is ridiculous. Any parent who buys one of these wigs for their child needs their head examining." The report also says that she pointed out how dangerous wigs could be for babies. Apparently, this was her response to the wigs on BabyToupee.com that are modeled after hairstyles of current superstars such as Lil Kim, Bob Marley, and Donald Trump. As a mother, stepmother, and former nanny, I do not agree with wigs for infants either. This especially is true when it comes to wigs that require gluing. Another thought that comes to my mind is safety.

Are Baby Wigs Safe?
The FAQ on the Baby Bangs website states that the Baby Bangs hair+bands have been safety-tested and approved for infants ages 0-9 months. I could find no information on who conducted the safety testing. That's not to say that it isn't valid, but upon my visits to the site, I could find no information regarding the source of any safety testing. As for the other types of wigs, BabyToupee.com states on the front page that the wigs are safe for ages 0-9 months as well. I could find no other safety information regarding these or any other wigs for babies. As a mother, the fact that I am unable to locate any specific safety information does not make me very comfortable.

Should Parents Really Use Baby Wigs for Bald Babies?
Because baby wigs are more of a vanity accessory than an actual need, I would have to conclude that they are not necessary. My personal thoughts are that all babies are beautiful no matter how little or how much hair they have. There have been bald babies for ages and it's very likely that the majority went without a wig as a baby. My take is that kids can already pick up on so many vanity and self-esteem issues as is. Why add to that by covering up their natural beauty, especially at such an early age? That's not even taking into account any safety issues that may arise. Should parents use them? I can't be the judge of what others do. But I do hope that parents do their research and make a wise decision.

UPDATE: Since I first published this story several years ago, many more wig stores featuring products for babies have come about.

*I originally published this content via Yahoo Contributor Network

---