So, I looked at my hair under the microscope today ... (pics!)

[CurlyCurves]

In A&P class today, I got to look at my hair under the microscope! We were given different samples of stuff to look at (sperm, red blood cells, human skin), but of course, the first thing I thought of was "MY HAIR!". So I asked my teacher and she said I could.

SUPER exciting. I was VERY happy with the state of my cuticles. They looked very healthy to me, laid down and flat. I couldn't see any holes or raised cuticles;

http://sphotos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/550838_4684786998063_1560454272_n.jpg

http://sphotos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/560349_4684797118316_352977296_n.jpg

http://sphotos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/545752_4684807438574_2032176228_n.jpg

http://sphotos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/69183_4684813718731_728338737_n.jpg

And my hair compared to a healthy hair strand;

http://sphotos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/60170_4685753942236_1529017914_n.jpg

As you can see, the cuticles on both hair strands are laid down flat. An unhealthy hair strand will show raised and broken cuticles scales. Also, no holes are visible. Holes are created when cuticles scales entirely chip off, exposing the inner cortex of the hair strand. This is what makes hair porous.

Overall, this shows my hair is very healthy, HOWEVER, this is only one hair strand. I hope to do more testing in the future, checking different strands of hair and, most importantly, my ends. And, yes, I have some split ends, so I will put them under the microscope too :) I also hope to put a kinky hair under the microscope, so you can you see the torsion twist (kinky hair has a torsion twist, which is where the strand itself twists on itself).

Hope you guys find this as exciting and interesting as I do! I, for one, am estatic about it :joy:

[Katleen]

Your hair looks better than the picture of the "healthy" hair!!! I imagine it's nice to see what all your hard work and supergood care has done for your hair!

Keep up the good work!!

[DinaAG]

perfect :) that looks so nice :))

[NataschaB.]

That's so cool! Very interesting!! And yea, looks like you have very healthy hair :D

[Unicorn]

I see why you have such shiny hair.

Unicorn

[longforthis]

Awesome!! Your hair cuticles look great! ;D

I would be interested to see the split end; due to the state of your hair already, I wonder if they would look all that bad? LOL

[ouseljay]

Very cool. You're making me wish I had a microscope.

[lapushka]

That's so cool, and I'm also glad you're happy with the state of your hair. It looks very healthy, so I wouldn't worry about the rest of the hair. I'm sure it's in as good a condition as this single strand. :thumbsup:

[ankh222]

now you'r sure that you'r hair is healthy,if i had i microscope i would look at my hair everyday.

[Chimom79]

Wow, yours is perfect! I wish I could see mine like that, wouldnt it be awesome if we could keep track of our hair health like that? :thumbsup: Way to go on taking care of your hair!

[MaryMarx]

Wow, that looks healthy! But... whos sperm was it..? :p

[MinderMutsig]

That's cool! I'd love to see my hair under a microscope.

[PetuniaBlossom]

Your hair looks like the example of a newborn baby's hair in the article (I mean the one in the Articles section of LHC.) That is beyond amazing! Congratulations! :cheer:

[akilina]

/want microscope, NOW!

How cool!!!

[SwordWomanRiona]

So cool!! Yay for healthy hair :D!

I want to look at my hair with a microscope too! The nerdiest thing I have done with it is using it for a difraction experiment in the Optics laborarory sessions ;).

[MoonLover]

Wow, that's awesome, thanks for sharing!

[DarkSky]

Wow too cool!!!! You have perfect hair!! I want to find myself a microscope as well.

[WilfredAllen]

that's really cool. your hair looks happy :)

[jacqueline101]

Your hair looks better then the traditional healthy hair. Maybe science could learn from us.

[terylenerose]

Wow, that's cool! The scales on your hair look even more laid down than the ones on the healthy hair picture. (As you probably know now.) I suppose I ought to do this sometime. I don't expect I'd see anything as good as your hair just now, but maybe in a few years when my damage is grown out...? :)

[Stellaaa]

In A&P class today, I got to look at my hair under the microscope! We were given different samples of stuff to look at (sperm, red blood cells, human skin), but of course, the first thing I thought of was "MY HAIR!". So I asked my teacher and she said I could.

SUPER exciting. I was VERY happy with the state of my cuticles. They looked very healthy to me, laid down and flat. I couldn't see any holes or raised cuticles;

<pics snipped>

And my hair compared to a healthy hair strand;

<pics snipped>

As you can see, the cuticles on both hair strands are laid down flat. An unhealthy hair strand will show raised and broken cuticles scales. Also, no holes are visible. Holes are created when cuticles scales entirely chip off, exposing the inner cortex of the hair strand. This is what makes hair porous.

Overall, this shows my hair is very healthy, HOWEVER, this is only one hair strand. I hope to do more testing in the future, checking different strands of hair and, most importantly, my ends. And, yes, I have some split ends, so I will put them under the microscope too :) I also hope to put a kinky hair under the microscope, so you can you see the torsion twist (kinky hair has a torsion twist, which is where the strand itself twists on itself).

Hope you guys find this as exciting and interesting as I do! I, for one, am estatic about it :joy:

:thudpile:That hair is stunning. And I KNOW, because back in my university days I did a lot (a WHOLE lot, being the only female meant I had the best colour vision around) of optical petrography - which involved absolutely no sperm or any other body parts- but does involve looking at thin sections of rocks under a microscope that has two crossing polarizing filters. The view, I must tell you is absolutely spectacular. Rocks are really beautiful things when look at them close up. Anway ....

Of course, I flung all kinds of stuff under that microscope, including my hair. And the dog's hair. Bits of my sweater. Mine looked nothing like that. Split ends look really scarey, you may not find any on your head. Holy SMokes, THAT is healthy hair. :applause

[RubySlippers]

Wowza!

That is some beautiful hair! Ut I am super excited to see some pics of your ends too (or maybe nick a hair from a friend who straightens!)

I would just love to compare my ends with my new growth! Jealous!

[Ambystoma]

Wow, what a great opportunity! Your cuticles look seriously happy too :joy:

[Miss Catrina]

I'm so jealous. I want access to a microscope!

[jojo]

What brilliant photos, you hair looks even better than the healthy one!

[bekstamonkey]

That's so cool! I want to see mine under a microscope now...although I think mine would not fare as well as yours in terms of condition, but would be interesting nonetheless! :D

[Mesmerise]

I have looked at my hair under a microscope before, but never one with a camera ;). It's always fun to see! I used to look at demarcation lines from dye to non-dye, and also the occasional split end I could find to see what it looked like :D. Also, I liked checking any weirdly coloured hairs I could find (like a blonde or black hair on my head!!).

(My dad bought me a microscope when I was 16 or so, so I had fun ;)).

[hippie girl]

These are such cool pictures! I have always wanted to do this, actually!

Your hair looks like it is in super shape, good for you. I agree, your hair is super shiny; I guess all those perfectly arranged cuticles, laying flat and just so is exactly why!

So... can I send you a sample of mine next?? :)

[spirals]

I wonder how close one could get in with a loupe? Spirals walks into the local jewelry store....

[Shepherdess]

Wow, that is so cool and your hair looks like it is in perfect condition! :thumbsup:

I wish I had been able to do that in my A&P class last semester. :(

[MelH]

How cool was that! I agree that yours looks better than the "healthy" one!

[Artisticat]

Congrats...beautifu! I think you started a new LHC obsession as if we needed one!!!! :eyebrows:

[HintOfMint]

My goodness, I didn't think perfection existed!

[missannie]

Cool! I am going to pull some hair out in class on thursday and check out mine!!!!!

[meishkamooshka]

WOW! That is so freaking cool! Your hair appears to be incredibly healthy! Keep up all the good work, CC! :D

[Golden]

WOW so cool :D

[Viola88]

:bigeyes: Beautiful! Derp. I have a dissecting microscope at work. I've looked at my fingernails under it and they look terrible :D

I am going to throw some hair under it today.

[CurlyCurves]

Thank you so much everyone! It was super fun, and I hope to do it again. I will definitely post any pictures I take on here.

I just want to add, though. The picture of the healthy hair is taken with an electron microscope, which works differently from a light microscope. So my hair may not be in better condition than the healthy hair picture. I tried to find pictures taken with light microscopes of healthy hair, but none showed the cuticles. Annoying. Oh well, still fun!

Thanks again guys, I really appreciate the compliments and comments :)

[CurlyCurves]

Bump :)

Bump!