Distributions of sulphur and other elements in human hair follicles
TLDR Sulphur in hair follicles increases from the bulb and then levels off, while other elements vary in distribution.
The study measured the distribution of sulphur and other elements in human hair follicles using PIXE and a scanning proton microprobe. It found that sulphur content in the presumptive hair shaft (PHS) was low at the bulb end (0-400 μm), increased from 400 to 800 μm, and then plateaued, aligning with previous protein analyses of keratin synthesis. Other elements like Si, Ca, and Fe were randomly concentrated, while P, Cl, K, and Zn were uniformly distributed. Average relative concentrations of these elements were also estimated.
