CLAIM:
Traditional practices like rubbing 'atta loi' or turmeric on a newborn’s skin to remove fine body hair are harmful, unnecessary, and can lead to skin damage and infections, as baby hair naturally sheds on its own.
FACT:
Lanugo is a normal, temporary type of fine hair in newborns that naturally sheds on its own within weeks or months. Medical experts and scientific studies advise against removing it, as rubbing or scraping can damage delicate baby skin and increase the risk of irritation and infection.
Removing fine body hair of newborn babies using atta loi, turmeric paste, or other traditional rubbing methods is a common practice in many Indian households. The belief is that this process will reduce excessive body hair as the child grows, especially in girls.
In a viral Instagram reel posted by Dr Madhavi Bharadwaj, a paediatrician with over 1.6 million followers, the doctor addresses this widespread custom and highlights the serious risks associated with it. Popularly known on social media as ‘bacchon_ki_doctor’, Dr Bharadwaj regularly shares child health awareness content.
In the reel, she narrates a real case from her clinic. “What is this? You are doing experiments with your little kids?” she says, explaining how a 2.5-month-old baby was brought in with a severe skin infection on her back after repeated rubbing with “atta loi” (flour dough ball) to remove body hair.
She adds that despite being advised against it, the family continued the practice out of fear that the child, a baby girl, would grow up with excessive body hair. “They are scared that if they don’t do this, the child will look bad in the future,” she explains.
According to Dr Bharadwaj, after rubbing the baby’s skin with “atta loi” (flour dough ball), turmeric mixed with mustard oil was also applied. This led to severe skin damage and bacterial infection. “There is so much infection that now the baby needs oral antibiotics, and if that doesn’t work, she may require hospital admission and IV antibiotics,” she says, adding that the physical pain, constant crying, and emotional trauma affect both the child and parents.
The paediatrician further clarifies that the fine hair seen on newborns is medically known as lanugo. “These hairs are completely normal. They have a sensory and protective function and help with temperature regulation,” she explains. According to her, lanugo hair naturally sheds within the first six months of life without any intervention.
She also addresses genetic factors, stating that some babies may have visible body hair patterns inherited from their parents. “Even if you remove it forcefully, it will grow back later, just like adults experience hair regrowth after waxing,” she says.
Questioning the need for such painful practices, Dr Bharadwaj adds, “Why give so much pain, trauma, and risk of infection to a small child just because of fear that she may look ‘ugly’ in the future? When she grows up, she can decide for herself whether she wants to wax, laser, or keep her natural hair.”
She urges parents to move away from outdated beliefs and educate elders in the family. “Please change this thinking and spread correct knowledge,” she says.
The reel has received massive engagement on social media, crossing 3 million views, 83.9k likes, and 23.6k shares, sparking widespread discussion about harmful traditional practices and infant skin care safety.
What is lanugo hair, and should it be removed from newborns?
Lanugo is the soft, fine hair that develops on a fetus inside the womb and plays an important role during early growth. It usually appears between 16 and 20 weeks of pregnancy and helps protect the fetus and regulate body temperature. While lanugo typically sheds before birth, some newborns, especially premature babies, may still have visible lanugo on parts of their bodies, such as the back, shoulders, ears, or face. In most cases, this hair disappears naturally within a few weeks or months after birth.
According to the National Library of Medicine, lanugo is not just a cosmetic feature but serves key biological functions during fetal development. “Lanugo plays an essential role in binding the vernix caseosa to the skin of fetuses,” the medical database explains. Vernix caseosa is the white, creamy layer seen on newborn skin that “protects the skin, prevents water loss, plays an important role in thermoregulation, and contributes to innate immunity.”
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It further notes that lanugo protects the fetus from harmful substances present in amniotic fluid, including urea and electrolytes. It also helps regulate the pace of fetal development during different stages of pregnancy.
Lanugo hair is shed around 33 to 36 weeks of gestation and becomes part of the amniotic fluid, eventually contributing to meconium (a newborn’s first stool). It is later replaced by vellus hair (fine body hair) and terminal hair (thicker hair found on the scalp and other areas). Importantly, the National Library of Medicine states that around 30% of newborns are born with some lanugo hair, making it a normal finding rather than a medical concern.
After birth, small amounts of lanugo may remain visible once the vernix layer is washed off. “Lanugo can thus be present in the neonate for the first few weeks of life,” it notes, adding that this does not usually require any medical intervention. However, in rare cases, persistent lanugo in adults may signal underlying conditions such as eating disorders, malnutrition, or certain tumours.
A clinical letter titled ‘Knotted lanugo in a newborn: Cultural practices revealed’ highlights how traditional rubbing practices can alter the appearance of lanugo and create diagnostic confusion. The report describes a nine-day-old baby girl who developed unusual spike-like hair patterns after repeated circular rubbing of the skin.
“Across the world, there are varied cultural practices applied in the newborn period that pediatric dermatologists need to be familiar with,” the authors wrote. They found that the unusual hair patterns were “tight bundles of lanugo hairs,” caused by repetitive skin manipulation.
The authors emphasised that understanding cultural newborn care practices is important for proper diagnosis, treatment, and parental counselling.
Further evidence comes from a large clinical study on newborn skin conditions in India, which examined 1,427 live births between 2013 and 2015. The study found that more than 92 per cent of newborns showed some form of skin changes, most of which were temporary and harmless. Lanugo hair was identified as a common and physiological finding, particularly among premature babies.
Medical institutions also caution against attempting to remove lanugo. According to the Cleveland Clinic, lanugo in newborns is not a cause for concern and does not require cosmetic treatment. “Lanugo isn’t a cause for worry when it’s seen in newborns,” the clinic states. “Lanugo should fall off within a few weeks.”
The clinic specifically warns parents against physical removal methods. “No, you shouldn’t wax, shave or remove lanugo hair from your baby. This will irritate your baby’s highly sensitive skin,” it advises.
What experts say
Dr Amit Gupta, Senior Neonatologist and Paediatrician at Motherhood Hospitals, Noida, said this is one of the most common concerns raised by new parents during consultations. He stressed that traditional hair-removal practices are neither medically required nor recommended.
“Newborn skin is extremely delicate. Rubbing flour, turmeric, or using any abrasive method can irritate the skin,” Dr Gupta said. He explained that excessive friction can lead to rashes and allergic reactions. “Some babies develop dermatitis due to repeated rubbing, and in rare cases, it can even cause skin infections,” he added.
According to Dr Gupta, medical professionals strongly advise against scraping or aggressively massaging a newborn’s skin. “There should be no heavy rubbing or scrubbing on a baby’s skin. These fine body hairs, called lanugo, are completely normal,” he said.
He further explained that lanugo naturally sheds over time without any intervention. “Some babies lose this hair within a week, while in others it may take a few weeks or even a month. But it falls off on its own. There is absolutely no need to remove it manually,” he noted.
Emphasising that lanugo is part of normal growth, Dr Gupta said, “It is a natural stage of development. It does not cause any health problems and does not lead to any disfigurement. Forcibly removing these hairs only adds unnecessary risk.” “These methods can cause avoidable trauma and discomfort,” he added.
Dr Gupta also dismissed the popular belief that repeated hair removal improves future hair growth. “There is absolutely no scientific evidence that repeated tonsuring or rubbing increases hair thickness or improves hair growth,” he said.
Highlighting the role of genetics, he added, “Hair growth patterns, how thick the hair will be, how much hair a child will have, are decided by genes inherited from parents. No external practice can change that.”
This story is done in collaboration with First Check, which is the health journalism vertical of DataLEADS.