Downy hair
Lanugo
- Synonym: Primary hair
- Related terms: Downy hair; Primary hair
Definition
Downy hair (Lanugo; Primary hair) is the first type of hair produced by fetal hair follicles. It is defined as soft, fine, unpigmented, and unmedullated hair that covers the fetal body during intrauterine development and is normally shed late in gestation or shortly after birth.
Rarely grows in adults, but can appear during severe malnutrition or eating disorders like anorexia nervosa, and very rarely due to specific tumors or cancers.
References
