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Human hair: a unique physicochemical composite.

Leszek J Wolfram¹

¹LJMAW@aol.com

Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology

|June 6, 2003

Summary

This review highlights that while hair exhibits ethnic variations in curl and color, all hair shares fundamental similarities in structure and chemistry. Understanding these commonalities is key to predicting hair fiber properties and treatment responses.

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Area of Science:

Dermatology
Cosmetic Science
Anthropology

Background:

Hair is often categorized by ethnicity (African, Asian, Caucasian) to identify specific traits like curliness and color.
These categorizations aid in recognizing distinct hair characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the common characteristics of hair across all ethnic origins.
To explore the interplay of hair structure, chemistry, and properties.

Main Methods:

Literature review of hair morphology.
Analysis of hair chemical composition.
Examination of molecular structure in hair fibers.

Main Results:

All hair types share commonalities in morphology, chemical makeup, and molecular structure, irrespective of ethnic origin.
Specific ethnic hair types display unique features such as curl patterns and cross-sectional parameters.

Conclusions:

Recognizing both shared and distinct hair characteristics is crucial.
Understanding fundamental hair science informs its behavior and response to treatments.

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