Hair or stubble on the back of a newborn: causes of appearance and methods of removal

One of the many unexpected features that newborns often surprise their parents with is the hair or stubble on their backs. This can be confusing and even worrisome, particularly for new parents. But don’t worry, it’s a typical occurrence that many newborns go through in the first few weeks of life.

If you know why this hair appears, you can feel less anxious. The baby’s soft hair, called lanugo, falls out before birth and is a normal part of the development of the unborn child. But in some cases, fine stubble can form on the skin, and in other cases, traces of it are present at birth.

It’s crucial to understand that, for the most part, no action is necessary if you’re unsure about how to handle this or whether to remove it. If necessary, gentle techniques can guarantee that your baby’s skin stays comfortable.

As a normal aspect of their development, some newborns may have lanugo, or hair or stubble, on their back. During pregnancy, this fine hair protects the unborn child’s skin; it typically falls out on its own in the first few weeks of life. Since the hair doesn’t hurt and usually goes away on its own, parents can gently take care of their baby’s skin without having to remove it.

What is it?

Both conventional medicine and non-traditional medicine vigorously contest the existence of bristles in newborns. This odd occurrence is referred to as "poker" or "tickler" by people. When the baby’s thin, delicate skin shows through dark, hard, needle-like hair, it is a sign that this phenomenon is present. It is thought that they are the reason why babies get anxious; the baby may have trouble sleeping, cry a lot, or arch his back when laid down flat.

When the hairs are not easily distinguished, but the child is extremely concerned, "thorns" are also suspected. According to alternative medicine, the disorder is caused by the hair follicles overworking themselves, resulting in aberrant hair growth that, for unknown reasons, is denser than vellus hair and does not reach the surface. They cause a condition in the child that is similar to what happens to an adult who lies bare-backed on fiberglass. They are situated between the dermis and epidermis.

In theory, doctors dispute the existence of this illness. They point out that referring to such hair as stubble is incorrect. It is more appropriate to discuss lanugo. This is the hair that develops on the body of the unborn child while it is still inside the mother. After 12 weeks of pregnancy, lanugo appears and eventually goes away when the baby is delivered. It is colorless, and the hairs themselves stand out for being exceptionally fine and weightless.

The vernix caseosa, which covers the fetus’s entire body up to a certain point, is held in place by these tiny hairs. Lanugo starts to fall out when the skin becomes multilayered and able to protect the child. The consensus among scientists is that this mechanism is an atavism, a trait derived from extinct relatives. The embryonic tail and gills at an early stage of pregnancy are visible among other atavisms.

Occasionally, incompletely understood variables can impede the lanugo loss process, resulting in a baby born with some hair still in place. Then, within a few weeks of delivery, these first hairs fall out. If, for whatever reason, hair loss is postponed, there may be a disturbance in the normal functioning of the hair follicles, leading to the appearance of denser hairs, or "spines."

As per official medicine, there is no treatment available for this phenomenon since it is deemed harmless. However, parents who have not slept for several days because of their newborn’s constant anxiety find little comfort in such an explanation.

To save the family, traditional medicine strongly advises shaving off the bristles. But it’s crucial to protect the infant.

What to do and how to roll out?

First, the mother and father of a crying infant should make sure that the reasons for the crying are not hidden in something else. Babies can cry for a variety of reasons – from hunger, cold or heat, damp diapers or uncomfortable diapers, pain. If the baby is well-fed, clean, the room is cool and humid enough, the diaper does not cause allergies, the child is healthy and does not arouse suspicion in the pediatrician, but at the same time the roar is so loud that the neighbors have already inquired several times whether everything is okay in the family, it is worth trying to detect the bristles, if they are not visually visible.

Parents will need to be patient in order to diagnose an indistinguishable bristle that is consistently hidden from other people’s eyes in the skin’s layers. The child’s skin should be thoroughly cleaned with warm water after bathing, and then it should be gently blotted with a sheet or soft diaper. Steer clear of rough towels and rubbing motions.

If the mother is nursing, a small amount of breast milk should be dripped onto the child’s back. Baby cream can help identify "poker" in bottle-fed children. Gently massage milk or cream into the back skin for a considerable amount of time, until dark, nearly black dots start to appear. If they show up, you can start rolling out the bristles right away, relieving the child of their pain. You can use one of the methods described here for this.

Bread

Using store-bought bread or rolls won’t work with this technique. The bread will need to be baked by the parents. Use a sponge to make the dough the traditional way. Roll up a tennis ball-sized piece of homemade bread crumb that is still warm. Next, roll this ball along the baby’s back in sharp circular motions. It is best to catch the forearms as well as the shoulder.

Usually, the baby’s skin gets smooth and soft, and the hard, prickly hair stays on the bread crumb. The baby will sleep better if everything is done correctly.

With an egg

Usually, you can get rid of the bristles on a chicken egg. It needs to be thoroughly cooked, allowed to cool, then peeled. Just like with the bread crumb, the back skin is rolled out using a warm egg. If everything is done properly, the baby will experience noticeable relief as the hard bristles start to fall out of place.

With a dough

You can make the procedure’s dough two different ways: liquid (for pancakes, for example) or thick (for homemade noodles). Warm water, flour, and sunflower oil are used in the first instance. The baby’s hairy back is covered with the dough while it’s still warm, and it’s then gently rubbed into the skin. The infant is then placed in a diaper and left for fifteen minutes. Normally, the hard "thorns" stay on the diaper after it has been removed.

Using the same ingredients, a thick and elastic dough is made in the second method. It is used to mold a tennis ball-sized ball that is used to massage the back in circular motions while applying light pressure.

You can repeat the process if you are unable to roll out all of the hairs the first time, but you will need to warm up some new dough to roll out again.

Bathing will help

A child’s back should be bathed gently and carefully if it has bristles or fluff. The outcome will undoubtedly be, even though hygiene practices won’t help get rid of the bristles right away. The temperature of the water used for bathing should not exceed 37 degrees. For skin care, it is preferable to avoid using soap and gels. You can flavor the water with a glass of chamomile decoction, if you’d like.

Avoid using washcloths and hard sponges. A gentle infant sponge with tiny holes is ideal for cleansing the back.

A newborn’s hair or stubble on the back is a normal occurrence that frequently takes new parents by surprise. It usually goes away on its own and is a normal part of the body’s transition from the womb to the outside world.

There’s nothing to be concerned about if you notice this fine hair. The baby is not in any pain, and it usually falls out in the first few weeks or months. Although some parents might feel compelled to take it off, it’s best to refrain from using any abrasive techniques that might irritate your baby’s delicate skin.

A little patience and gentle washing during routine baths are all that’s required. Your baby’s skin will eventually smooth out on its own, and no additional care is required for the stubble to vanish.

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