What is a vellus?

Author: Sid Corkery  |  Last update: Thursday, November 13, 2025

What is vellus hair? Vellus hair is thin, fine hair that grows on most of your body. You might know it as “peach fuzz.” It's different from the thicker, longer hair you have on your scalp, which healthcare providers call terminal hair. Vellus hair is usually lighter and shorter than terminal hair.

What do vellus hairs do?

Vellus hair is the light, short, fine hair that covers much of a person's body. Its length and thickness will vary from person to person. The primary role of vellus hair is to protect the skin and keep the body warm. Terminal hair, on the other hand, is the longer, thicker, and darker hair that grows on the head.

What is the meaning of vellus?

noun. the fine, light, short hairs that cover most of a person's body.

What happens if I shave vellus hairs?

Shaving vellus hairs can give the appearance of smoother skin and may temporarily make terminal hairs more noticeable, but it does not stimulate new hair growth or change the characteristics of the hair that grows. Beard growth is primarily determined by genetics and hormonal factors, particularly testosterone.

Do all vellus hairs become terminal?

Vellus hair follicles are no different from other hair follicles. In fact, many hair follicles transition from vellus to terminal, and sometimes back again. During puberty, androgens—hormones such as testosterone—cause some vellus hairs to transition to terminal hairs.

Vellus vs Terminal Hair - #KeepItBasik

What happens if you pluck vellus hair?

Peach fuzz doesn't grow back thicker after you remove it. New vellus hairs may seem to be coming in thicker than they were before, but they're not. It just seems like the hairs are thicker after shaving or removing them because the top part of the new hair has to push through your skin's surface as they grow back.

Does pubic hair stop growing at a certain length?

Does pubic hair cease growing once it's reached a certain length? All hair grows at a contstant rate, but eventually falls out. With body hair, which typically does not grow as long as head hair, the rate at which it falls out is greater. This results in hair that appears to reach a certain length then stops growing.

How to get rid of old lady facial hair?

No surprise there are many methods to get rid of it: you can epilate, tweeze, wax, sugar, thread, burn, shave or bleach; use creams, lasers, IPL, electrolysis or make-up. Surface removal methods like shaving are quick and easy, but stubble grows back fast.

Why do I have white hair growing out my forehead?

You may be bewildered by a long, white hair cropping up on your face, but in most cases, it's not a cause for concern. While these rogue hairs do not have a single cause, they may result from hormonal and pigment abnormalities.

Is pubic hair a vellus?

During puberty, your hormone levels begin to rise. Your body's endocrine system produces more of a hormone called androgens. The increase causes vellus hair on some parts of your body to turn into terminal hair. Vellus hair in the armpits and pubic area turns into terminal hair.

What pills stop hair growth on face?

Eflornithine is used to slow the growth of unwanted hair on the face in women, usually around the lips or under the chin. Eflornithine works by blocking a natural substance that is needed for hair to grow and is located in your hair follicle (the sac where each hair grows).

Is it OK to remove vellus hair?

Removing vellus hair is completely normal, too. Some people simply prefer the look of smooth skin—especially on their face—and others find that makeup applies much more smoothly and easily when your face is free of peach fuzz.

Why does female underarm hair stop growing?

All body hair that sprouts during puberty—think hair on your underarms, genitals, and chest hair on guys—is controlled by hormones. Since our estrogen levels drop as we reach middle to later age, body hair growth corresponds by becoming sparser and thinner, too.

What hair replaces vellus hair?

It is usually replaced by primary terminal hair by age 2. Terminal hairs are normally long thick hairs, generally finer and shorter on the scalps of children than for adults. At puberty, secondary terminal hair develops that is larger and thicker particularly for axillary, pubic, and beard hair of males."

What is the black stuff in my pores not blackheads?

Sebaceous filaments help move oil from your sebaceous glands to the surface of your skin. They sometimes look large and can be confused for blackheads, but they help keep your skin hydrated. Age, skin care and the thickness of hair follicles determine how noticeable they are.

Should you pluck nostril hairs?

Avoid waxing and tweezing your nose hair.

"As a result, you're very susceptible to allergy attacks, sinusitis, and respiratory infections,” says Dr. Russak. Infection isn't the worst-case scenario, either.

What are the tiny hairs in snot?

After this stuff gets stuck inside the nose, the mucus surrounds it and some of the tiny hairs inside the nose called cilia (say: SIL-ee-uh). These hairs help move the mucus and the trapped stuff toward the front of the nose or the back of the throat.

What vitamins stop facial hair growth?

Dietary supplements that contain vitamins B6 and E are also believed to help get rid of unwanted hair growth in the facial areas. For one, vitamin B6 is thought to help lower testosterone in women and inhibit prolactin hormone production.

What is the best female facial hair remover?

Our top picks for the best facial hair removal products in 2025
  • Best Overall. StackedSkincare Dermaplaning Tool. Read more.
  • Best for Brows. Tinkle Eyebrow Razor. Read more.
  • Best Tweezers. Tweezerman Stainless Steel Slant Tweezer. Read more.

What countries don't shave pubic hair?

Japan: Women in Japan have preferred to shave only their legs and underarms, leaving the bikini and pubic area untouched. It is also quite common to remove facial hair and peach fuzz for a smooth, glass-like appearance.

Do most girls shave down there?

Pubic hair grooming, described as partial or complete removal of pubic hair, is considered a prevalent practice in both men and women [1]. Notably, The prevalence of this practice is reportedly high in groomers with more than 80% of women actively engaging in it, as evidenced by multiple studies [1,2,3,4,5].

Why do men prefer shaved pubic hair?

Therefore, the primary reason for the male preference for a hairless body is the preconceived expectation towards women regarding youth and femininity. There is a socially constructed, artificial link between shaving and attractiveness/femininity.

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