Hair

Hair
Hair
	Cross section of a hair strand
	Scanning electron microscopy image of Merino wool (top) and human hair (bottom) showing keratin scales
Details
System	Integumentary system
Identifiers
Latin	capillum
MeSH	D006197
TA98	A16.0.00.014
TA2	7053
TH	H3.12.00.3.02001
FMA	53667
	Anatomical terminology

Hair is a protein filament that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Hair is one of the defining characteristics of mammals. The human body, apart from areas of glabrous skin, is covered in follicles which produce thick terminal and fine vellus hair. Most common interest in hair is focused on hair growth, hair types, and hair care, but hair is also an important biomaterial primarily composed of protein, notably alpha-keratin.

Attitudes towards different forms of hair, such as hairstyles and hair removal, vary widely across different cultures and historical periods, but it is often used to indicate a person's personal beliefs or social position, such as their age, gender, or religion.^[1]

^ Sherrow, Victoria (2006). Encyclopedia of Hair: A Cultural History. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. p. iv. ISBN 978-0-313-33145-9.

[1] Sherrow, Victoria (2006). Encyclopedia of Hair: A Cultural History. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. p. iv. ISBN 978-0-313-33145-9.

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