Electron Microscopic Studies on the Morphological Differences of Ethnic Hair

We investigated the morphological differences of the ethnic hairs using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, sampled from African, Asian and Caucasian women. Transverse section of African hair had a highly elliptical type whereas those of Asian and Caucasian hairs had circular and elliptical types, respectively. The diameter of African hair showed wide variations from 90 to 115 . The diameter of Asian hair was 100 and Caucasian hair had a lesser diameter of 80 on average. African hair were much more damaged in cuticle layer compared with Asian or Caucasian hairs. In particular, endocuticle of cuticle cell had a lot of holes in it, which resulted that it tends to be easily broken. Phaeomelanin in the cortex of Caucasian hair had a concentrically helical structure in it.