Comparative Study of Male and Female Human Hair: A Microscopic Analysis

November 2022 in “ DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) ”

S. Sneha Harshini, Vishnu Priya Veeraraghavan, Abirami Arthanari, R. Gayathri, S Kavitha, Selvaraj Jayaraman, P. K. Reshma, Dinesh Yasothkumar

hair proximal end cuticle shaft profiles medullary index

TLDR Male and female human hairs have different microscopic structures that can help in forensic analysis.

This study used a stereomicroscope to compare the physical properties of male and female human hair for forensic purposes. The analysis revealed that male hair is completely black, lacks a proximal end and cuticle, and has an opaque structure with irregularities. In contrast, female hair is black at the proximal end and brown at the distal end, has a present proximal end and cuticle, and is smooth with no surface irregularities. Both male and female hair have straight shaft profiles. The study suggests that these structural differences can aid in gender differentiation in forensic investigations. Future research should consider larger sample sizes and additional parameters like medullary index and cuticle characteristics for more comprehensive forensic analysis.

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