What is the reason for black hair on baby's ears?

Some parents find that their babies have black hair in their ears when they are just born, and they worry that this is a symptom of ear disease. In fact, the black hair in the baby's ears is usually from the fetus, so parents don't need to be too nervous. If there is lanugo in the baby's ears, it will generally fall off on its own after a period of time. If it continues to fall off, you should see a doctor.

What is the cause of black hair on the newborn's ears?

1. Lanugo

The black hair on the ears of newborns is mostly lanugo, which is usually formed in the late pregnancy. Most full-term babies have lanugo when they are born. Lanugo generally appears on specific parts of your baby's body, including the back, shoulders, ears, and forehead. Lanugo usually falls out within the first week after birth, but it may not fall out until several months later.

Notice :

Never be smart and use a razor to shave your baby's hair, so as not to hurt the baby's delicate skin and hair follicles, because the hair will fall out automatically over time.

2. External auditory canal hirsutism

If the black hair on your baby's ears is very long and there is a lot of it, and it has not gone away after 6 months, then it is very likely to be external auditory canal hypertrichosis. The pathogenic genes of this type of genetic disease are located on the Y chromosome. There is no corresponding gene on the X chromosome, so these genes can only be passed on with the Y chromosome, from father to son, from son to grandson, and so on from generation to generation. Therefore, it is called "all male inheritance".

Tips :

The hair in the external auditory canal will become more obvious as you age. If you think it is unsightly, you can buy an electric nose hair trimmer to cut it off. Most nose hair trimmers have this function.

How to take care of your baby's ears? The first step is ear cleaning

The outer surface of the ear is in direct contact with the external environment, and frequent spitting up and sweating may cause dirt to stick to the ear and form lumps. Therefore, parents should pay as much attention to washing the ears as they do to washing the face.

Cleaning method : First rub the baby bath gel into bubbles on your hands, then use your fingers to gently rub the back of the ears and the auricle, massage gently, and finally wipe clean with wrung-out gauze.

At the entrance of the ear, you can use a cotton swab dipped in baby oil to gently wipe it. Be careful not to go too deep to prevent the baby's head from moving suddenly and injuring the ear canal mucosa.

Step 2: Be gentle with earwax

Earwax is different from eye mucus. It has certain physiological functions. When it encounters dry air, it will become thin flakes or sticky oily. It blocks the invasion of dust, water and small flies. At the same time, it can buffer noise and inhibit the growth and reproduction of bacteria. It is the protector of the eardrum!

Don't be a mysophobic parent. Earwax can fall off and be discharged by itself through actions such as chewing, opening the mouth or yawning, as well as with the help of movements of the jaw and other joints. Never dig it out without permission.