Human hair (Caucasian descent), SEM

False-coloured scanning electron micrograph showing the surface of a single strand of hair from a female of Caucasian descent. This strand was taken from an area of the scalp where hair grows without any pigment (similar to albinism) so is naturally white in colour and very fine in texture. The hair shaft is made up of several layers of a tough protein called keratin. The outer layer (cuticle) is visible here and is made up of overlapping, tightly packed scales. Horizontal width of image is 154 micrometres.