Differences in human hair shape

  • Anne Weston, Francis Crick Institute
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Differences in human hair shape. Anne Weston, Francis Crick Institute. Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0). Source: Wellcome Collection.

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This image shows the differences in the shape of human hair between different ethnic groups. The hair on the left is from an Afro-Caribbean individual and the strand of hair on the right is from a Caucasian female. The outer layer of hair is made up of numerous over-lapping cells or scales. These scales protect the cortex layer underneath. The inner layer is called the medulla. The Afro-Caribbean hair has an 'S'-shaped curve giving rise to its characteristic curls. The Caucasian hair is cylindrical in shape.

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