Baby came into the world, everyone was thrilled and happy, especially the parents. Then, you look at your little muffin and suddenly you notice hair all over your baby’s body. Hair is everywhere, including the body and the newborn’s face.
This might be shocking but it is possible that a toddler has hair on the upper lip. It’s because of lanugo hair that was developed while the baby was in utero.
There is something growing out of your baby’s upper lip and it looks like a mustache. You freak out, thinking that you have given birth to one of those little guys from the 1970s British comedy troupe Monty Python.
No, it wasn’t the Chubaka you just gave birth to. It was just a tiny bit of hair – not even enough for a toothbrush – located on what would appear to be its little upper lip. If this has happened to you or someone you know, relax because there is nothing wrong with your sweetie.
The parents are probably a little scared but for no reason. Almost every baby is born with hair on the face, and all over the body, because this was the phase of fetal development that persisted even after the birth.
Parents should know that this is not dangerous for their babies. Better known as lanugo hair it represents silky soft hair that protected the baby while it was in the mother’s tummy. It serves to bind a special liquid to the baby’s skin and thus protect the newborn’s delicate skin.
Little hair above the upper lip is just a small additional decoration on the baby’s face that will fall off by the fourth month of the baby’s life. You probably won’t even notice it when your baby runs out of it.
It’s just nature and genes playing with parents, however, maybe we really came into being from apes with God’s help.
How do you get rid of upper lip hair on a baby?
We recommend you not to do anything about it because that hair will soon fall off. It is thin and fine hair known as lanugo that will shed off in the first few weeks or months, depending on the baby.
However, there are some things you can try to do when your toddler has hair on the upper lip, but we can’t say for sure that it will be successful.
Many parents have tried to dip a piece of bread in milk. Milk should not be boiled but used to soak in the bread and then massage it on the baby’s hairy parts. For this technique to be a successful one, you need to repeat it on a regular basis.
Another thing you can try to do when a toddler has hair on the upper lip is to make a paste using powdered red masoor dal and some baby cream. When made, gently apply the paste on hairy areas, and slowly massage it.
Is it normal for girls to have hair on their upper lip?
Yes, it is completely normal for both baby boys and girls to have hair on the upper lip. Babies are often born with hair on their face, as well as on their upper lip, in fact, all over their body. All those hairs quickly fall out around the fourth month of the baby’s life, to the joy of the parents.
Lanugo hairs can really irritate parents when they see their baby. This can be very striking if the hairs are expressly black which easily catches the eye.
This is actually related to genetics because if the parents are black-haired, that color and texture of the hair will probably be passed on to the newborn.
And such expressive and strong hair on the baby’s delicate, white skin looks very noticeable. In the case of girls, parents are already creating an image of their princess with a mustache. This sounds like a really shocking thing and parents tend to overreact.
However, dear parents, all you have to do is just wait for four or five months and the hair on the newborn’s upper lip and the whole body will disappear just like that.
Due to genetics, your girl may have a small, rare, almost imperceptible mustache as she grows up. This will also disappear during puberty, so there is no need for any interventions.
Is it normal for my toddler to have body hair?
Yes, it’s totally normal to have lots of hair on the body, even in the situation when a toddler has hair on the upper lip. Some babies are born with downy, fine hair on their head, as well as their arms, back, legs, and in some cases on the face.
However, there’s nothing to be worried about, and if so the first person to notice that and say something about it will be your baby’s pediatrician.
The fact that your baby is growing hair on his or her upper lip doesn’t mean he or she will look like a grown-up man.
It’s very common for children to have hair in different parts of their bodies, and it’s also normal if the child is not feeling anything about this issue. Generally speaking, almost all children outgrow these hairy spots without any treatment.
Does toddler facial hair go away?
Yes, facial hair known as lanugo that infants have developed while being in utero, will go away. If you notice that your toddler has hair on the upper lip know that that’s a perfectly normal part of a baby’s fetal development.
As mentioned before, one should not be worried about this, because soft hair will go away usually after the newborn stage.
Sometimes it takes only a few weeks but sometimes up to three months. It all depends on the child. However, if it lasts longer, make sure you ask your pediatrician for advice just in case.
The presence of this hair is nothing to fret about, though. It isn’t uncommon for infants to be born with it. In fact, most are. Lanugo often sheds itself in the womb before a baby is even born.
If you do notice that your child has developed some facial hair, don’t worry too much. Some children will develop facial hair while still in utero and others won’t develop facial hair, those kids are usually born bald, until they reach a certain age.
Know that this timing varies from child to child and that there isn’t anything wrong if your baby hasn’t yet shed its lanugo by the time it’s already popped out and entered into our world.
Summary
When your baby is born there are a lot of questions that pop into parents’ minds. Especially when it comes to the baby’s appearance, and mom or dad notice something unusual. Babies, when born, tend to look different than parents’ expectations.
When the baby is in the mother’s womb, it tends to create a little soft body hair that has the purpose of protecting the baby’s delicate skin and regulating its body temperature. This hair, known as lanugo, tends to fall off before the little one decides to come out.
However, this is not always the case. Sometimes a baby is born with tiny, soft hair all over its arms, backs, lack, and most shockingly on the upper lip.
That’s why parents become confused when a toddler has hair on the upper lip, thinking that their baby has already developed mustaches and it’s just born, especially if it’s a girl.
The mustaches will shed off before you know it. This will happen in the first few weeks to months, and your baby will no longer have that barely noticeable hair on its upper lip.
