Seeing a baby born with thick hair will provide happiness for parents. However, what if fine hair also grows on other body parts, such as the back, arms and legs? This fine hair is commonly referred to as lanugo. Lanugo is fine hair that grows on the body of the fetus while still in the womb. The pigmented lanugo (colored) usually starts growing when the fetus enters the age of five months (around the age of 19 weeks). By the time of birth, some of this fine hair will fall. But in some cases, fine hair can still carry over until the baby is born. In general, lanugo functions as a protector of the fetus so it is not submerged in amniotic fluid, regulates fetal body temperature, protects the fetus's body, and makes it easier for waxy substances (vernix) to stick to the fetus's skin. Lanugo is more commonly seen in babies born prematurely. Is Lanugo in infants curable? Basically, the appearance of fine hair in babies is not a medical condition to worry about. The reason is, ...