Known and Unknown Features of Hair Cuticle Structure: A Brief Review
May 2019
in “
Cosmetics
”
TLDR The hair cuticle is made of tough proteins that protect the hair, but more research is needed to fully understand its structure.
The review from May 2019 discussed the structure and function of the hair cuticle, emphasizing its protective role for the inner cortex. It detailed the three layers of the cuticle—A-layer, exocuticle, and endocuticle—and their distinct properties, including high disulphide crosslinking for toughness and the hydrophobic nature due to 18-methyleicosanoic acid (18-MEA). Despite extensive research, some aspects of cuticle structure and development remained unclear, highlighting the need for innovative techniques like TEM autoradiography to study these areas. The review underscored the importance of further research to improve understanding and treatment of hair.
