Microstructure of Defective Mink Guard Hair
TLDR Defective mink guard hairs have split tips and missing cuticle cells, causing a metallic sheen.
The study examined guard hairs from normal mink and those with "singe" or "red hip" abnormalities using a scanning electron microscope. Normal guard hairs had overlapping cuticle scales with regional variations in shape and size. In contrast, hairs from "red hip" areas often had split tips and lacked cuticle cells near the tip, while "singe" hairs also showed split tips and angular cross sections. These defects likely contributed to altered light reflection, causing the metallic sheen seen in affected mink pelts.
