Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

According to animals.mom.me/seals-survive-antarctica-7385.html :

Damaged skin loses heat quickly, and adult seals easily damage their skin from constantly swimming and crossing over ice. Since their skin is an important asset in staying warm, adult seals shed their skin every year and grow new skin to prevent hypothermia.

Online images show that isn't shedding like how human skin flakes off, they literally shed large chunks of skin with the hair still attached.

This begs the question: Do they grow a layer of hair under the skin before shedding, or do they regrow hair after shedding?

Hello!

The Ask an Expert forums at Science Buddies are designed to help students and their parents and teachers who are performing hands-on science projects. Is this question related to a science project you are doing? If so, please provide some more information on the project so we can better assist you.

If not, this article about molting in Antarctic seals may help answer your question. Seals have to regrow a new layer of fur after molting. This means there is a period of time after molting where they don't have fur to trap heat and keep them warm so they have to use more energy to maintain their high body temperature.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7447843/