Lanugo is a soft downy hair that grows on the fetus as a normal part of gestation. Lanugo appears by about the fifth month of gestation and is shed at around 33-36 weeks of gestational age. Although lanugo can be seen on the shoulders of a newborn, more extensive presence on a newborn is a sign of premature birth. Most lanugo still present on newborns, commonly referred to as “peach fuzz,” is shed within a couple weeks after birth.