Hair

• Hair


  Filamentous keratinized structure that forms within epidermal invaginations which covers practically the whole body
• Areas of the body where hair is absent

  • Lips
  • Palms
  • Soles
  • Distal dorsal parts of the fingers and toes
  • Prepuce and glans of penis
  • Labia minora
  • Inner surface of labia majora
  • Clitoris
  • Nipples
• Types of hair


  • Lanugo Hair
  • Vellus Hair
  • Terminal Hair
• Lanugo Hair


  Soft, unpigmented, and very fine hair that covers the body of the developing fetus in the womb
• Vellus Hair


  Fine, short, and lightly pigmented hair e.g., face for the female, arms, legs, face, and back
• Terminal Hair


  Thicker, coarser, deeply pigmented hair e.g., scalp hair, underarm hair, pubic hair and facial hair for the male
• Parts of the hair

  • Cuticle
  • Cortex
  • Medulla
• Cuticle


  Outermost layer of the hair shaft composed of overlapping scales that protects the inner layers of the hair
• Cortex


  The middle part of the hair that contains keratin
• Medulla


  The innermost part of the hair that may or may not be present in all hairs and has keratin that provides additional support