Noah, the 5-month-old son of Oregon mom Liliana Yanez, has captured the internet’s attention — not for any milestone or antics, but for his striking head of thick, black hair.
Yanez, a mother of two, told PEOPLE that whether it’s through her TikTok videos or a simple trip out in public, her son’s hair consistently draws reactions from strangers and online followers alike.
“Thankfully, he’s gotten nothing but positive comments and reactions in public,” Yanez said. “It definitely gets overwhelming, but I’m slowly getting used to it. I’m just mentally prepared for it now when we need to go to the store or take the kids out for a simple stroll!”
Despite the attention, Yanez said Noah’s hair is “actually kinda hard to style,” and she has no immediate plans to trim it, letting the infant’s wild locks continue to steal the spotlight.
Liliana Yanez’s son Noah.
Courtesy of Liliana Yanez
With videos of her son Noah going viral, Liliana Yanez says her baby is now under increased public scrutiny, and navigating the online space has been “definitely a different environment.”
“Social media is definitely a different environment. People don’t care to be rude through a screen and make unnecessary comments when so many people are being nice and funny,” Yanez said. “It doesn’t hurt to be kind. I’ve just blocked the ones I’ve caught and ignore the rest!”
Noah was born with a full head of thick hair, a trait he inherited from his mother. When it comes to hair care, Yanez says there’s no special routine.
“There honestly isn’t anything special I do nor any type of routine!” she explained. “I actually tend to switch his shampoo here and there depending on what I want him to smell like for that day. Some days I want him to smell like lavender, [and] other days like chamomile, and I also love using the purple Johnson shampoo.”
Even with the spotlight on her son’s hair, Yanez remains relaxed about the attention, letting Noah’s distinctive locks continue to capture hearts both online and off.
Liliana Yanez’s son Noah.
Courtesy of Liliana Yanez
Yanez also shared that her son’s hair can be challenging to manage due to its thickness and natural growth patterns.
“It’s actually kinda hard to style his hair because he has so much and a crazy cowlick that I have to use a lot of hair gel or else it won’t stay put,” she said. “At one point, I decided to let his hair be free because it just looked so uncomfortable with the amount of gel I needed to use! Now I just use some water, brush it to the side or back, and let it air dry and fluff up on its own.”
Even with the styling challenges, Yanez embraces Noah’s hair as part of his distinctive personality, allowing it to remain a centerpiece of attention both online and in public.
Liliana Yanez’s son Noah.
Courtesy of Liliana Yanez
Yanez acknowledges that a trim is likely in Noah’s future, but she isn’t ready for a major cut just yet.
“I would definitely start off by doing small trims!” she said. “I noticed that when we cut my first son’s hair with the clips for the first time, it changed so much. It didn’t grow back the same. He had a few waves in his baby hair, [and] now it’s very straight like his dad’s.”
“When it comes to Noah, I definitely want to avoid a big haircut, especially because it’s so precious right now,” she continued. “But if he decides to [cut it] later on, I’m definitely keeping his hair in the memory box.”
Yanez’s careful approach highlights how much thought she gives to preserving her son’s distinctive hair, which has become a focal point of attention both online and in public.
