1. 7-3 Variations in Hair Unit 4: The Study of Hair November 17, 2014
Sanders

2. Hairs from Different Parts of the Body
Forensic scientists define six types of hair on the human body.
Hairs from different parts of the body have other characteristics physical features.
July 29, 2019
Unit 3: the Study of Hair

3. Head Hair Head hair is generally circular in diameter.
Differs with people’s ethnic origin.
▪Long with moderate shaft diameter and diameter variation
▪Medulla absent to continuous and relatively narrow when compared to the structure of hairs from other body areas
▪Often with cut or split tips
▪Can show artificial treatment, solar bleaching, or mechanical damage
▪Soft texture, pliable.
July 29, 2019
Unit 3: the Study of Hair

4. Eyebrows and Eyelashes
Eyebrows and eyelashes are circular and tapered.
July 29, 2019
Unit 3: the Study of Hair

5. Beard and Mustache Hairs
Beard and mustache hairs tend to be triangular in shape.
Hairs tend to blunt as these are often trimmed.
July 29, 2019
Unit 3: the Study of Hair

6. Body Hair
Body hairs can be oval or triangular depending on where it is on the body.
July 29, 2019
Unit 3: the Study of Hair

7. Underarm Hair Resemble pubic hairs, but less wiry July 29, 2019
Underarm hair, as human body hair, normally starts to appear at the beginning of puberty, with growth usually completed by the end of the teen-age years.
Medullary appearance similar to limb hairs
▪ Tips long and fine, frequently with bleached appearance
July 29, 2019
Unit 3: the Study of Hair

8. Pubic Hair Pubic hairs tend to be wiry and buckled.
Pubic hairs often show buckling.
▪Shaft diameter coarse with wide variations and buckling ▪Medulla relatively broad and usually continuous when present

▪Root frequently with tag 
▪Tip usually tapered, rounded, or abraded
▪Stiff texture, wiry
July 29, 2019
Unit 3: the Study of Hair

9. African Hair Coiled or curly.
Densely distributed, clumped and may differ in size and shape.
Cross section is flattened.
Coiled or curly.
Densely distributed, clumped and may differ in size and shape.
Cross section is flattened with moderate to small diameter and considerable variation.
July 29, 2019
Unit 3: the Study of Hair

10. Asian Hair Straight in appearance. Densely distributed.
Shaft tends to be course and straight.
July 29, 2019
Unit 3: the Study of Hair

11. European Hair Generally straight or wavy. Can be curly.
Small and evenly distributed.
Color may be red, blonde, brown or black.
Oval or round of moderate diameter with minimal variation.
July 29, 2019
Unit 3: the Study of Hair

12. Dyed Hair
The presence of artificial treatment such as dyes or rinses can be identified through a microscopic examination.
Hair coloring is the practice of changing the color of hair. The main reasons for this practice are cosmetic (e.g., to cover gray hair, to change to a color regarded as more fashionable or desirable, or to restore the original hair color after it has been discolored by hairdressing processes or sun bleaching).
July 29, 2019
Unit 3: the Study of Hair

13. Hair Growth
Head hairs grow at the rate of 1 cm/month, the approximate time of this treatment can be determined by measuring the length of untreated area of the hair.
A direct, side-by-side comparison of the color of the questioned and known artificially treated hairs is typically conducted by a hair examiner.
July 29, 2019
Unit 3: the Study of Hair