Vellus hair
Fine, short body hair present from childhood.
Vellus hair is fine, light-coloured hair that covers most of the human body from childhood. It aids in temperature regulation by wicking sweat and differs from the thicker terminal hair that grows after puberty.
- Strands are usually less than 2 cm long.
- Follicles are not connected to sebaceous glands.
- Helps regulate temperature by wicking sweat.
- Replaces lanugo hair before birth.
- Often called peach fuzz.
What it is
Vellus hair is short, thin, and light in colour. It is barely noticeable on the skin. This type of hair develops on most areas of the human body during childhood. It does not grow on the lips, palms, soles, or certain other specific zones. Each strand is typically under two centimetres in length. The follicles for this hair are not connected to oil glands. Density varies between individuals. It is distinct from the thicker terminal hair that appears later in life.
History and origin
This hair replaces lanugo, a thicker fetal hair, before birth. The transition occurs between thirty-six and forty weeks of gestation. The term vellus comes from Latin, meaning fleece or wool. People often call it peach fuzz due to its similarity to the downy surface of fruit. It remains present throughout childhood and into adulthood, though it may become less visible if thicker hair grows over it.
The science
Vellus hair helps regulate body temperature. It acts as a wick for sweat. When sweat wets the hair strand, it evaporates from the surface. This process cools the body. At puberty, hormones convert much of this hair into terminal hair in specific areas. Men see more conversion on the face and body than women do. Conditions like Cushing's syndrome or anorexia can cause unusual growth patterns.
Questions people ask about Vellus hair
What is vellus hair?
It is short, thin, light-coloured hair that covers most of the body. It develops during childhood and is barely noticeable compared to thicker terminal hair.
How does it help the body?
It provides thermal insulation and cooling. The hair acts as a wick for sweat, allowing moisture to evaporate from the skin surface and regulate temperature.
Is it the same as lanugo?
No. Lanugo is thicker hair that grows only on fetuses. Vellus hair replaces lanugo before birth and remains finer and shorter throughout childhood and adulthood.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Vellus hair", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryFaceShape rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes, and figures change over time. Nothing here is investment or buying advice. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-11-15.
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