The skin of babies is more fragile than that of adults, that of red-haired babies is even more so. Here’s how to take care of the skin and hair of your little redhead.

Redheads make up only one to two percent of the world’s population. In France, redheads represent only 5% of the population. These low percentages are explained by the presence of a recessive gene. To have a red child, both parents must be carriers of the MC1R freckle gene and variants of this gene (this mutation gave rise to red hair between 80 and 000 BC). If two red-haired parents have a child, it must be red-haired because they always meet these two conditions.

On the other hand, in parents with neither red hair or only one of the two, the probability of having a red child is slim. Even if both parents carry the freckle gene and the mutation, there is only a 25% chance that the child will be red, although he will inevitably inherit the gene. Also, in certain populations such as people of African and North African origin, the MC1R variant is very little present.

The MCR1 gene is a receptor that manages cells that pigment hair, melanocytes. These produce melanin, dark biological pigments that give this brown color to the skin (tan), hair and eyes. But in the presence of variants of the MCR1 gene, the melanocytes are less efficient and produce melanin of yellow-orange color and not brown, pheomelanin. This is why redheads have fair skin and orange hair and hair.

It is best not to expose a baby under three years of age to direct sunlight, regardless of their hair color. If baby is outside on a sunny day, cover his head with a hat and keep him in the shade as much as possible. Finally, apply very high protection SPF 50+ sunscreen to the uncovered parts of the body.

These actions are all the more important in red-haired babies because their skin is particularly sensitive to the harmful effects of the sun. This is because their skin produces less melanin, a substance that protects against skin damage caused by the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Redheads are more likely to get sunburned and develop melanoma (a serious form of skin cancer). Parents of red-haired babies must therefore be extra vigilant from the first rays of sunshine!

Red skin is drier than other skin. They can become irritated and flaky more easily. Apply to your baby’s skin a hypoallergenic moisturizer every day and a nourishing after-sun treatment after each exposure.

Whether your child has brown, blond, chestnut or red hair, shampoo should be done with gentle products so as not to attack his scalp. Here are some rules to guide you in choosing hair products for your baby. Buy treatments:

• specially formulated for babies.
• free from perfume, dyes and parabens (the list of ingredients should be short).
• at neutral pH.
• hypoallergenic (to reduce the risk of allergies).

In supermarkets and drugstores, you have the choice between several types of shampoo for your toddler: the mild shampoo (without sulfates or silicones, ideal for daily use), the 2 in 1 washing gel (body and hair) or the Foam shampoo (to avoid the feeling of cold on the skull at the time of application).