Electrolysis Practice Exam

Which type of hair is characteristic of newborns and often shed shortly after birth?

1. Vellus hair

2. Terminal hair

3. Lanugo hair

4. Androgenic hair

The correct answer is: Lanugo hair

The type of hair that is characteristic of newborns and often shed shortly after birth is lanugo hair. Lanugo is soft, fine, and downy hair that typically covers the bodies of fetuses and is usually present during the later stages of pregnancy. This hair helps to protect the delicate skin of the fetus and provides insulation while in the womb. After birth, lanugo is generally shed within a few weeks, giving way to vellus and terminal hair as the baby's hair growth continues to develop. Vellus hair is fine, thin hair that covers most of the body's surface, but it is not specific to newborns. Terminal hair is coarser and longer, such as the hair on the scalp and for some individuals, beards and pubic hair that develops during puberty. Androgenic hair typically refers to hair that develops in response to androgens during puberty and is not present in newborns.