Many parents wonder how to remove baby lanugo hair. The first thing that they should know is that the body hair will fall off on its own in the first few weeks of a newborn’s life.
However, for those impatient parents, here are some homemade remedies that they can make in order to remove baby hairy parts.
- Gram and wheat flour
For this recipe, you need two homemade ingredients. This method calls for a bit of wheat and gram flour to make a soft dough. After you make it, apply it to your newborn’s hair-covered parts. Then, massage it gently with slow strokes. The hair roots will be softened and gradually removed as a result.
Some regions follow another tradition. They firstly massage the newborn, and then the parents roll a dough made with wheat and gram flour over the baby’s body. The process reduces body hair and they also claim that it prevents a baby’s body odor.
Whether the dough will remove the baby’s unpleasant smell or not, which we doubt, that’s not the whole point. If the odor is the issue, we recommend bathing the baby with a little water while protecting the umbilical cord stump.
Nevertheless, this has been shown to be one of the most effective ways to get rid of body hair on a newborn baby. But be aware that this is not scientifically supported or tested so we cannot guarantee that it will be fully effective.
- Olive oil massage
One of the great home remedies for removing a newborn’s body hair is massages with olive oil. All you need is the olive oil that every household probably has.
- Take a little bit of olive oil and apply it to the newborn’s hairy parts.
- Spend some time massaging its body in a clockwise direction.
- Make sure your baby’s body is not under so much pressure.
- Repeat this procedure twice a day.
A gentle massage will definitely soothe a baby, while olive oil can nourish the baby’s delicate skin. If your infant cannot tolerate olive oil, you can try other oils like coconut oil or any good baby care brand for massage.
Also, mustard oil is also popular among parents. However, some think it is too strong for a baby’s skin, while others think it is pretty bearable. Mustard oil also has antibacterial and antifungal benefits, thus it can be very good for baby’s and grown-up’s skin as well.
The ones who have used it, generally have a positive experience thus the opinion.
3. Mixture made from lentils, milk, and almonds
This special mixture is made from lentils, milk, and almonds as the name stated. After blending those three ingredients together, it is necessary to apply the mixture to the baby’s skin and carefully massage it on the part where the hair needs to be removed.
The lanugo hair should fall off right after. These homemade remedies are pretty suitable for little one’s because they all require some type of massage which is very soothing for a baby. Plus they are pretty healthy without containing any violent substances.
What happens to lanugo hair after the baby is born?
Falling off happens. So, before you ask yourself how to remove baby lanugo hair because the baby obviously was born with it, parents should know that lanugo hair tends and will shed off on its own.
This means that the little hair that persisted on the baby’s back, arms, and even upper like in the form of a mustache, will be gone before you know it.
So, before you dive into making those homemade remedies for “shaving” your little peach, know that nature will handle things on its own. Even though in most cases lanugo hair falls off while the infant is still in mom’s utero, there are cases where the baby is born with body hair.
Especially if your baby is preemie, it has a higher chance to have lanugo after birth. But, as stated before, it will fall off on its own before you know it. It takes about a few weeks after the birth, but sometimes it can persist a bit longer, which is also not a cause of concern.
How does lanugo protect the skin of a baby?
Lanugo or baby body hair has the role of protecting the little one’s delicate skin. It also helps vernix to adhere to a newborn’s skin as well.
Vernix is the protective fluid that covers the infant’s skin. It’s waxy in texture and has a cheese-like substance that prevents amniotic fluid from reaching the skin.
Another benefit of developing lanugo hair while in mom’s tummy is that the hair protects the baby’s skin from possible harm and it regulates its body temperature.
When do babies lose their lanugo after birth?
The soft thin hair usually tends to fall off while your unborn baby is still in the mother’s womb. But many babies tend to have it even after birth. It takes approximately a few weeks for lanugo hair to fall off, but sometimes it persists longer, up to four months.
All fetuses grow this thin and soft hair while being in the mother’s uterus. Lanugo hair starts growing when the lady is in her fourth or fifth month of pregnancy. It often sheds off by 36 to 40 weeks gestation or around the seventh or eighth month of pregnancy.
However, the hair can linger which explains why some premature babies are likely to have it. There’s no need to worry about the body hair because it will certainly disappear by the time your baby is four months old.
So, how to remove baby lanugo hair can be pretty easy, you just have to wait a few weeks or a couple of months to disappear. And pretty much, your job is done.
Summary
Homemade recipes are known to be the oldest and most efficient remedies for curing anything that we found problematic. This applies to babies as well, and it’s the healthiest way to deal with certain issues, instead of using chemically treated products.
How to remove baby lanugo hair is a question that many parents ask. If you dig a bit deeper or just simply read our article, you will find out that “the cure” has been in your house all along.
To remove the body hair your baby has, you will need just a few ingredients like milk, olive oil, or flour. Pick the recipe that you like the best, follow the instructions and the result should be satisfying.
However, we have to warn you that these remedies are not totally and 100% efficient, so we recommend you not to have big expectations. Our honest advice is to wait just a bit longer because the baby lanugo hair will most certainly fall off on its own.
