Quantifying Variation in Human Scalp Hair Fiber Shape and Pigmentation
March 2016
in “
American Journal of Physical Anthropology
”
TLDR African hair is curled, Asian hair is thick, European hair is lighter, and chemical methods help identify hair color differences.
This study evaluated quantitative methods for measuring variation in scalp hair fiber shape and pigmentation using a limited sample from diverse populations. It found that African and African Diaspora hair was significantly curled, (East) Asian hair was notably thick, and European hair was lighter in color. Pigmentation analysis showed high variability in melanin content among non-European populations, and a wide range of curvature was observed in East African hair. The study concluded that chemical methods were useful for identifying subtle differences in hair color and emphasized the need for better understanding of hair fiber curvature.