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The sight of their newborn baby can be far different than many expectant parents are prepared for. In addition to an irregular head and signs of birth trauma, the child sometimes is coated in fine hairs, called lanugo. These are particularly prevalent on his shoulders, back, forehead, and temples.

Have no fear: the circus won't be his only job option. Just as the rest of your baby soon begins to look more human, the hairs will usually fall off by the end of his first week in the world. The lanugo, or fetus fur, can be more abundant and may last longer in premature babies.

Normally, lanugo begins to cover the body around week 14 and is shed before...

The sight of their newborn baby can be far different than many expectant parents are prepared for. In addition to an irregular head and signs of birth trauma, the child sometimes is coated in fine hairs, called lanugo. These are particularly prevalent on his shoulders, back, forehead, and temples.

Have no fear: the circus won't be his only job option. Just as the rest of your baby soon begins to look more human, the hairs will usually fall off by the end of his first week in the world. The lanugo, or fetus fur, can be more abundant and may last longer in premature babies.

Normally, lanugo begins to cover the body around week 14 and is shed before birth, around week 32. It is replaced by vellus hair, the fine, unpigmented hair that coats the skin of older children and adults.

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