comparison of sheep and human hairs with different cuticle textures
Diagram of the hair shaft, indicating medulla (innermost), cortex, and cuticle (exterior)
The hair
cuticle is the outermost part of the
hair shaft.[1] It is formed from dead
cells, overlapping in layers, which form scales that strengthen and protect the hair shaft.[2][3]
While the cuticle is the outermost layer, it is not responsible for the
color of the hair.
Melanin is the
pigment that gives hair its color and is found in the
cortex.[4]