Spectral Histology of Hair and Hair Follicle Using Infrared Microspectroscopy

This study utilizes advanced infrared microspectroscopy techniques to enhance the understanding of the chemical histology of human hair, including the hair follicle, shaft, medulla, and cuticle. Key findings include the first spectroscopic demonstration and quantification of glycogen in the outer root sheath of the hair follicle, detection of unsaturated lipids in the hair medulla, and the widespread presence of calcium carboxylates in the hair cuticle. These discoveries, achieved through methods like HIRIS, SR-μFTIR, and OPTIR, highlight the potential of these techniques for detailed chemical imaging of hair, with possible applications in biomedical research and cosmetology.