Is it normal to get a hairy belly in pregnancy?

The good news is that it's very much a temporary thing – caused by the rapid increase of certain hormones, including oestrogen, in your body during pregnancy –and should disappear within 6 months¹ of your baby's birth.

But it can still come as a something of a shock, if you didn't know it can happen – or why. Stacey Solomon was definitely not alone when, during her 3rd pregnancy, she shared a picture (below) of her pregnant "Furby belly" and asked, "Does anyone else's belly suddenly become covered in fur? I'm fascinated as to why this happens? What does it mean?"

Here, we can bring you all the answers! We've asked an expert to explain in more detail why it happens, when it happens, whether it's safe to remove the hairs and whether there's any truth in the old wives' tales about a hairy belly and the sex of your baby...

Why does your belly get so hairy during pregnancy?

Actually, you almost certainly had some very fine, almost unnoticeable hairs there already but now they're growing faster and increasing in thickness, so they're much more visible.

What's causing this hairy growth spurt? "Simply put, your pregnancy hormone levels are affecting the normal phases of hair growth," says women's health expert Dr Catherine Hood.

"Hairs on our body go through four phases that progress from growing to transitioning to resting and then shedding or falling out. When you're not pregnant, about 90% of your hair is growing at any one time and 10% is resting.

"However, during pregnancy, increased hormone levels increase the number of hairs that are in the growing stage and also push more hairs into the resting phase. This means hairs are growing more strongly for longer, and fewer of them are falling out – so you appear to have thicker hair.

"This excess hair is often really welcome on your head but less so on other areas of your body, like your stomach."

When do you get a hairy belly in pregnancy? Will it definitely happen?

No, not every pregnant woman gets hairs on their belly but most of us do – whether that’s just a bit of fuzziness or some actual serious growth.

It tends to make its most obvious appearance in the second half of your pregnancy, when your body gets an extra spurt of androgen hormones.² The hairs can grow all over your belly or just along the linea nigra, the vertical line that develops in pregnancy down from your navel to your pubic hair.

The pregnant women in our MadeForMums Top Testers Club community pretty much all report some kind of "snail trail" hair growth on their tummy. "It's kinda a line from my belly button, then spreads out from there!" says Hayley J.

And Hollie P adds, "I have a lot of hair on my belly too but only down the middle. It's really thick. Oh and I seem to have some new hairs on my arms, too."

Ah yes: it's also not uncommon – for the same reasons – to get some extra or new hairs on your arms, chest, face, buttocks, lower back, upper back, neck and shoulders.

Can you remove or bleach this belly hair? If so, what's the safest way?

Remember that all this excess hair is very likely to fall out within a few weeks of your giving birth. But we know that's a long time to wait!

So, yes, if you want to remove the fuzz, it's safe to do so by waxing, plucking or shaving. It's also safe to bleach the hair.

It's maybe not quite so wise to follow the hair-removal method adopted by Claire from our MadeForMums Top Testers Club community: "I have the hairiest pregnant stomach in the whole world. It got that bad that I sat and cut it with scissors – much to my husband's amusement."

However you're removing the hair, do bear in mind that your skin can be more sensitive during pregnancy.

Does a hairy belly mean you're having a boy?

This is one of those old wives' tales that people love to repeat but no, there's no scientific evidence that hairs on your pregnancy bump mean you're carrying a baby boy. Although, we guess there's always a 50:50 chance...

• See more boy/girl signs in pregnancy – and find out how reliable each one is

Does a hairy belly mean you're having a hairy baby?

Nope. That's another old wives' tale, with no basis in scientific research.

What if the belly hair doesn't go away naturally after my pregnancy?

If, 6 months after having your baby, you still have extra belly hair – or you're still growing more or thicker hair there – do go and see your GP, who may recommend a professional treatment, such as laser-hair removal.

References

<sup>1. Skin conditions during pregnancy: frequently asked questions. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
2. Androgens in pregnancy: role in parturition. Makieva et al. Hum Reprod Update.2014 Jul; 20(4): 542–559. Published online 2014 Mar 18.doi: 10.1093/humupd/dmu008</sup>

Pics: Getty Images; Stacey Solomon/Instagram

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