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Hair Anatomy: What is Hair Made of?
Well....hair is actually pretty interesting. The color, length, and diameter all vary from person to person. What IS hair made of? Well, hair is primarily composed of a protein: keratin. This keratin stuff is pretty resistant to wear and tear so is great stuff for body parts that get roughed up or that need to be protected. Keratin makes up the main part of the epidermis (skin), teeth enamel, claws, feathers, hooves, nails, hair, and horns. Hair also sticks to stuff pretty easily and is not easy to destroy. 
The outside of hair looks like little flat scales (sort of like tiles on a roof) that protect the inside part of the hair. In healthy hair, these scales lie flat. Under the microscope, human hair looks different than animal hair or fur. Hair is made up of the elements: Ever wonder why you feel your hair moving? Well, each hair follicle has tiny sensory nerve fibers at the base. When the hair bends, these nerves are stimulated and "voila"... We feel the hair move. Pretty remarkable really! Hair is also a touch receptor that is very sensitive.
Do you realize how thin the shaft of a hair is? Well, the average scalp hair is only about 60-120 micrometers in diameter (about half the thickness of a sheet of paper), but it depends on hair color and ethnicity. A red hair strand is said to be thicker than other colors such as black, brown, or blonde. Hair curliness or straightness makes it look different as well.
Go to "Hairstyles" | See "Hairdos" | See "Hair Growth" | See "Hair Dye"
Go To "Red Hair Color" - main page
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WHY bother with hair anatomy?
