HAIR ANALYSISClass or Individual Evidence?

STRUCTURE OF HAIR• Two Parts:1. Follicle:

2. Hair shaft:

It’s In Your Genes

Cross Section of a Hair

Cuticle

• The cuticle varies in:

• Human hair is flattened and narrow (imbricate)• Cuticle difference is more pronounced between

species rather than individuals

• Cortex:

Medulla• The medulla may vary in:

• Presence• Thickness• Pattern of pigmentation: continuous,interrupted, segmented, or solid• Opacity: how much light is

able to pass through it•More variation amongst

species than individuals

Types of Hair

Using Hair in Forensics