Hair is an important part of a person’s appearance. It reflects personality, lifestyle, and history. People spend a lot of time and money on their hair. They shampoo, condition, straighten, and trim it. They also dye it. Hair is a source of pride for many people, especially those with long, flowing locks. Hair also serves important functions, such as protection, sensory input, and thermoregulation. In humans, the hair around the eyes (eyelashes) prevents sweat and dirt from dripping into the eyes. In addition, the hair on the head protects the skull from sun damage. Hair can be cut, shaved, plucked, twisted, brushed, and combed in a variety of ways.
The hair of most animals, including humans, is composed of a keratinous filament that grows out of an epidermal penetration called a hair follicle. Most of the filament is exposed at the skin’s surface, while some is anchored in the follicle. The follicle is surrounded by a thickening of the dermis called the hair shaft, which is mostly made up of dead, keratinized cells.
There are two kinds of hair on the human body: vellus (ve-LUH-tus) and terminal (TER-muh). Vellus hairs are short, soft, and fuzzy, and they’re found all over the body. Terminal hairs are coarse and dark, and they’re found mainly on the head, armpits, legs, and buttocks. Hair color is determined by the amount of a pigment called melanin in the hair. Older people often have gray or white hair because their follicles produce less melanin.
Hair is a highly vascular structure. Its follicles are surrounded by blood vessels, and the base of each follicle widens to form a bulb that contains mitotically active basal cells. The pigment melanin gives hair its color, and the cell walls of a strand of hair are covered by a toughened epidermis that’s tipped with scale-like cells.
A strand of hair may be a single filament, or it may consist of a group of several filaments grouped together and held in place by a papilla that’s attached to the follicle. Hair may be straight, wavy, or curly. The shape of a person’s hair is determined by the shape of his or her follicles, which are arranged in groups on the scalp and other parts of the body.
People use their hair to communicate emotions and attitudes. In ancient Egypt, women wore their hair in a style that signified the status of their families and societies. They might wear it in plaits or pigtails, or they might have it rolled up into a coil like a sausage roll. In the 1920s, women sported bobbed hair as an expression of independence from traditional roles. During the English Civil War, followers of Oliver Cromwell cropped their hair in an act of rebellion against the king’s courtiers, and female art students adopted a similar haircut known as the “crophead.”
When writing your characters, consider using descriptive words to describe how they look. Using these words will help readers better understand your character’s personality and background. It’s a good idea to also include details about your character’s clothing and habits. That way, your reader will experience the world as your character does.