I put my hair under a microscope!! (pics)

[Rini]

My husband (the King of Gadgets!) just got himself a nifty little USB microscope. He loves looking at bugs, skin lesions, electronic stuff etc. Me? I immediately used it to check out my hair! :D

I had a close survey of my scalp and decided it looked pretty good/healthy. I then scrutinised my ends, looking for splits of course, but found none (phew!). Here's a pic of my ends:
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s144/missrini8/hair/microscope2.jpg

Ah! Nice and blunt :) That's my hand in the background btw. Nobody has good looking skin under a microscope. :(

I then took a pic of my hair in general:
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s144/missrini8/hair/microscope1.jpg

Look at all my silvers! You can also see the hairs that are gradually losing pigment and the hairs that still have their blonde tones. There's even a brown hair there! Wow!!

Anyway, I thought this was very fascinating and wanted to share with others who perhaps share this sort of obsessiveness :eyebrows:

Imagine doing S&D with such accuracy!:eek:

(more pics on pg 8 of this thread, post #80)

[Ndnlady]

Oh how cool!:) I would probably do the exact same thing!
Your hair is in really good condition though, it looks nice and shiny!

[Arctic]

I must say you hairs are soooo beautiful colours! Pure silvers and golds! And very healthy! I haven't heared of USB microscope before, it sounds interesting!

[Teazel]

Oooh, I want one! What fun.

Your hair is so healthy, Rini! My ends would be a sight - lots of splits of all kinds. :p

[*Rose Red*]

Beautyful hair!
I like the second pic. It could be a poster on a wall :D

[Phalaenopsis]

This is very fascinating. And your hair really looks healthy, even that close by :grin:

[maria_asa]

Oooh, that's so cool. Now I want a microscope of my own.

[Aicha]

Very cool, thanks for sharing! You have absolutely no splits, that's great. I was looking at mine today and noticed several, time for S & D!

[Aditi]

Wow!!!! Thanks for sharing this obsessiveness :D with us Rini. Where can i get one of this brilliant gadget?

[serious]

Your hair looks great!
And, I want that microscope now!:)

[Seraphina]

That's very cool indeed,thanks for posting :)

[LittleOrca]

looks very cool :)

[Natalia]

WOW that incredible!!! Thank you for sharing :D. Lol after reading i of coarse had to go on a hunt but dang those things are expensive *clutches chest in amazment*

[Heidi_234]

So pretty! Like shimmering glass wires! Can you send photooptic data though these? :D

[Rini]

hehehehe....thanks guys! :flowers: Isn't it cool? You can even get in closer and see the texture of the surface of the hairs, although it's hard to do as any slight movement takes it out of focus at that magnification. Will have to try it on a shed hair. Actually, I want to see what the bulb of the hair looks like when it's shed! Anyone else got any suggestions for cool things to look at with this thing? :eye:

Actually, hubby has the pic of my hair as his wallpaper right now :D

Another good use for it is to search for lice in my kids hair (yeah, I know...gross!). I haven't found anything yet, but I think it will scare the life out of me if I do.....can you imagine how huge those things will be?? Like scary alien creatures!! :run:

[neon-dream]

Ahw wow I wanna try this :D!

[paper]

Wow that looks amazing. Those colors are gorgeous!

[Johanna64]

Wow,that's cool!!
Your hair looks so healthy and I love the colors :)

[eresh]

Amazing! Thanks for sharing this!!
Now I wish I had a microscope too :D

[AuntyClaus]

How beautiful and sparkly!

So, if you check your hair under a microscope, does that make you a hair geek? :D

[SHELIAANN1969]

Wow, ok, I just *had* to look up USB Microscopes, this is just the first page that I looked at, but I don't think it will be for the casual LHC'er! :D

http://usbmicroscopes.com/

[embee]

Ooof. That is so interesting, but I need a camera more than a microscope right now. I love the silver and gold and the one brown hair just adds depth. You have a cool DH to be getting such a neat toy! :)

[Carolyn]

Wow, that is so cool! My splits would be a scary sight!

[janeytilllie]

What a cool gadget! I love the second picture, its very pretty :)

[mellie]

Wow, that's very cool! I wanna try!! :-) Your hair looks so healthy and I love the silvers!!

[Missie]

I wonder what a baby's hair would look like.. or hair that has been really over dyed chemically and heat abused.. and if you turned the image into a large poster and mounted it on the wall of a hair dressing salon !!

[Chrissy]

That is so cool!!!! You're hair looks great even that close up! Thanks for sharing.

[Elphie]

That's just jaw-droppingly gorgeous!

[Addy]

That is FAWESOME! :D

I'd love to see a bleach blonde under there!

[Silver & Gold]

Way cool! I want to come over and play with your new toy! I would love to see the difference between my virgin growth and my processed ends.

And your hair looks very healthy, it looks like threads of glass.

[smilinjenn71]

Too freakin' cool!! You should post pics of other things too....

[spidermom]

My goodness; it looks like spun glass.

[lapushka]

Amazing. That's a cool little microscope. Where'd he get it?

[Ryanne]

That looks awesome!

[viking_quest]

Wow those look amazing.

[Teacherbear]

OMG that is so cool!!! Those are some really, really cool pictures!!!

I remember looking at my hair under a microscope in 8th grade. It looked like little bricks of gold.

[AnneAdeline]

Very cool!
I'd be too afraid to look at my hair. Too much damage.

[Furiana]

Imagine doing S&D with such accuracy!:eek:

I'm imagining a robot with microscopic "vision," S&D'ing my hair. The ultimate precision haircut! :lol:

And I could let it snip-snip-snip my splits while I do other things... :cloud9:

[simply_me]

Wow. That is amazing and your hair is so healthy.

Where do you get it? I would love to have one.

[Nyghtingale]

Sweet! The colors are amazing. I love the silvers, so shiney. Very healthy looking hair.

[Wavelength]

Beautiful! I agree with Spidermom -- it looks like spun glass. Your hair looks incredibly healthy. I'd be afraid to see my hair under a microscope, especially the ends that have some old bleach damage... :scared:

[Nightshade]

I must say you hairs are soooo beautiful colours! Pure silvers and golds! And very healthy! I haven't heared of USB microscope before, it sounds interesting!

There's two on ThinkGeek (http://www.thinkgeek.com/brain/whereisit.cgi?t=usb+microscope&x=0&y=0). :)


Rini, that's awesome, like fairy hair! :inlove:

[Copasetic]

Those are great pictures. If I saw them without the explanation, I never would have guessed that they were hairs.

[Starr]

So pretty! I'm scared of how my hair would look!

[coppercurls]

That is cool.

[Darkhorse1]

That is SO COOL!!! How gorgeous your hair is under a microscope!!

I'd love to have one as I'm always interested in bizzare things, but alas, I'm a klutz and would probably break it :D :D

[Tornerose]

that is awensome.

I remember we had to do it some years ago too, i was paired up with a girl with visible red colour in her hair... our hairs looked very much alike

[enfys]

Do you want to hire it out? That looks like an awesome game!!

[jel]

Your hair really looks like glass, and your ends are so smooth and even! My hair would look very different under that microscope, and I'm not talking just about the colour... ;)

On the other hand, that gadget would sure make S&Ding easier! :D

[hazelnut]

That looks so cool! Now I have a burning need for a microscope! :)

[Elphie]

Ah, she wouldn't need to hire it out...how about collecting some shed hairs in an envelope and sending them off to Australia? *grins*

[jahof45]

I second the idea of sending our shed hairs to her in Australia. She should be able to get thru all of our hair in, say, 2 to 4 years. LOL :cheese:

[patissegrietje]

Wow! i bet my hair would show a lot of splits, despite babying it! Now i want a usb microscope too :lol:!

[zanne]

That is absolutely the coolest thing ever.... except it if were my hair, and it was that healthy.. that would be cooler.. but nothing else;)... gotta get me one of them there gadgets!

[Helen Baq]

Your hair is gorgeous! I agree with the spun glass analogy. You know you're taking good care of your hair when it looks great under a microscope! :p


WOW that incredible!!! Thank you for sharing :D. Lol after reading i of coarse had to go on a hunt but dang those things are expensive *clutches chest in amazment*

I found one here (http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?InvtId=88201&cm_mmc=GoogleProducts-_-Toys(ForAllAges)-_-Binoculars,Telescopes&More!-_-88201&utm_source=GoogleProducts&utm_medium=ShoppingSites&utm_campaign=88201) for $40! :)

And here (http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-a-USB-Digital-Microscope-in-60min-and-15/) are instructions on how to build your own for $15! :cool:

[LHGypsyRose]

Oh that is so cool looking!! I hope you will post more pics!:D

[losgan]

I have a little microscope, it isn't as fancy (not USB, so I can't take pictures) but a little hand-held job from RadioShack ... I think it was about $10. VERY fun to look at hair under!

In my trace evidence classes, we had samples of ALL kinds of hair ... damaged, dyed, curly, straight, all different colors - hair is very interesting up close (especially when you get into animal hairs - some can be identified by the shapes of the scaling - and chinchillas have more than one hair sprouting from each follicle!).

[zombi]

omg, AWESOME. Gosh I am so curious now as to what my hair would look like.

Your hair is so gorgeous.

[HotRag]

What is the magnifikation? x200? x400?

[Rini]

Yes I am a hair geek! I think it's official:thumbsup:

Thanks so much for all the sweet compliments re my hair, but I really don't think it appears that healthy in it's unmagnified state! I mean, there is not much shine to speak of which is just a product of my natural hair texture and colour, yet in the magnified view it does look shiny! Does this mean that the best indicator of hair health is under the microscope or just how it appears to the naked eye? Hmmm....:ponder:

Anyway, in response to some questions:

smilijen: I do plan to post pics of other cool hair things....coming soon! I have some scalp pics showing the hair growing out of the follicle, so I think I'll post those next.
lapushka, simply me: My hubby and I have an unspoken rule: he doesn't ask how much my toys cost (mostly hair toys!) and I don't ask how much his cost :D Makes for a harmonious marriage! hehehe Anyway, I don't think he would have spent huge amounts of money on it....I hope....:disbelief
enfys, Elphie, jahof45: Sure! Come on over! (it's not far :D ) OK, then send hairs to me. How weird would that be? (getting hairs in the post!) :ohmy:

Seriously though, I am interested in suggestions for hair pics!

Hotraq: I think those pics are 200x

[AprilElf]

Very interesting pictures! The second one is just so beautiful. :)

[Bene]

now i want a microscope. i wanna see what my ends look like :bigeyes:

[LutraLutra]

Amazing! I love it, what great images.

[HotRag]

Thank you Rini.
I want a microscope too :)
I want one where I can see the cuticle (and look at blood cells and protozoas). :D

[mugglemomof3]

I'll jump on the bandwagon!!! How cool is this?!!! I want a microscope now too.

[jahof45]

Rini, any new photos of your hair and scalp? I find this so interesting and want to see more.

[redneckprincess]

how cool, hey the kiddos have a usb microscope...maybe I will give mine a looksee...

[KajiKodomo]

That's amazing! :D

[goodluckcharm]

Wow! And look at how healthy your hair is! Really cool photos.

[GeoJ]

Cool! I would love to do that. :)

[eadwine]

Man.. this makes me want to have one of those microscope things! How cool :D

[SimplyViki]

Wow, how awesome! I wanna do that too. Your hair looks amazing under a microscope!

[FallenAngel]

Cool!!! More pics? Please? :D

[Fantak]

Wow! your hair looks sooo healthy! I remember the idea crossing my mind in school (I guess I've always been a closet long hair :p) but decided against it since I knew I'd freak out if they weren't perfect :rolleyes:

Wow I'd love to give it a try now though ^.^

[natt i nord]

Cool :D I want to have such a microscope too! :D

Do we get more pics please? :)

[mira-chan]

I'll add to this. I have access so a nice microscope so put mine, my mum's and a couple of LHCers hair under it (I can post theirs if they ok it.)
These are 20x, 40x or 60x magnification.
Hair tip, uncut.
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/meapr09end.jpg

My hair.
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/mum1.jpg

Mum's silver.
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/mum2.jpg

20x, my hair is the thickest one, other two are mum's.
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/mum22.jpg

60x of the same.
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/mum4.jpg

To add to scary pictures, what a white dot looks like. :twisted: Also my hair.
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/mewhitedot40x.jpg

[windinherhair]

How neat! I would have done the same. :D It looks really healthy!

[jahof45]

mira-chan, those are amazing. Thanks for sharing. Wow, the white dot is just unbelievable.

[melrose1985]

That's really cool but it kind freaks me out. Thanks for sharing!

[Rini]

Hey Mira-chan...thanks so much for posting those!! Your micro is VERY clear.

OK...here we go again. I think I scared myself this time actually

First pic is my scalp showing hair follicles. I have some with pigment and some without:
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s144/missrini8/hair/micro_rinihair8.jpg

All looks OK right? BUT....then I took some more pics in other parts of my head and I got a bit of a shock!!:eek:
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s144/missrini8/hair/micro_rinihair7.jpg

Ewwww! shudder: I just washed my hair today too!! Now I'm all worried that my roots are not clean enough :( I have been COing for several years now and my hair is visibly clean and soft, so I would not be worried if I had not seen these pics. Perhaps this is just normal scalp gunk up close? Sorry to those with weak stomachs.

Here are some random shots of my hair in general:

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s144/missrini8/hair/micro_rinihair5.jpg

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s144/missrini8/hair/micro_rinihair4.jpg

Lastly, here is a pic of my hubby's beard stubble:

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s144/missrini8/hair/micro_rinihair2.jpg

His hairs are so thick and look roughly chopped (he uses an electric). He also has LOTS of unpigmented ones :)

So there you are. Hope it wasn't too gross :o

[Flynn]

This is fascinating, and so cool!

[mira-chan]

Hey Mira-chan...thanks so much for posting those!! Your micro is VERY clear.

Thanks. :D My microscope is a lab one, actually some of those pictures are in DIC mode (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Differential_interference_contrast_microscopy) not just bright field (regular light microscopy). Notably the more see through ones. It doesn't work so great on my hair as it's too thick.

The draw back is I can't take the cool hair still in skin pictures as that thing is not mobile.

I have some more, these are really strange formations on my hair.
Any guesses at what can cause these? My hair has had no heat or chemical applied to it. I do notice that the cuticle is very flat in those parts and as these are close to the root It might be because the outer layer of the cuticle hasn't worn away as much, but still strange pores. All the hairs are shed hairs.

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/meapr099.jpg
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/meapr097.jpg
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/meapr095.jpg
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/meapr0913.jpg

Tops of the root seen here.
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/meapr0914.jpg

Further down section of the hair. another strange form.
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/mum15.jpg

[jahof45]

Fini, Your hair looks amazing and I think your scalp looks very clean and healthy. The face stubble is too much. OMG that is so cool in a "gross" kinda way. LOL

[losgan]

Mira - your hair looks pretty normal (healthy normal) to me ... the little lines running all over the surface are the scales of the hair. We all have them, and in humans they are irregular shapes like that (some animals have diamonds, and other geometric shapes).

The blobs in the center are actually the granules of pigment. I wish I had a microscope, my hair (and many redheads actually) has most of the pigment around the outer edges of the middle part of the hair, but the center is nearly clear.

Particularly curly hair has more variation in thickness along its length - and then there are a few "diseases" of the hair that make some really weird but interesting formations - some that look kinda like a string of beads.

The top of the root is what we call a "skin tag" ... they can be used for DNA typing :) Without it, only mitochondrial DNA typing can be done - which is inherited directly from your mother ... so all the women in a family line have the same mDNA. Not-so-hair facts you may or may not have wanted to know :) I'll get back out of forensic scientist mode now :)

[HotRag]

60x of the same.
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/mum4.jpg
Is this really just x60?
Is it the DIC that makes the cuticle visible?
I am looking for a microscope where I can see blood cells an hair cuticle.

Can you see cuticle without DIC? If so, what magnification?

[NeilTheFuzz]

That's really cool. Seeing your hair up close like that makes it look like the nylon bristles from a scubbing brush or something. Really interesting. BTW - well looked after hair!

[mira-chan]

Mira - your hair looks pretty normal (healthy normal) to me ... the little lines running all over the surface are the scales of the hair. We all have them, and in humans they are irregular shapes like that (some animals have diamonds, and other geometric shapes).

The blobs in the center are actually the granules of pigment. I wish I had a microscope, my hair (and many redheads actually) has most of the pigment around the outer edges of the middle part of the hair, but the center is nearly clear.

Particularly curly hair has more variation in thickness along its length - and then there are a few "diseases" of the hair that make some really weird but interesting formations - some that look kinda like a string of beads.

The top of the root is what we call a "skin tag" ... they can be used for DNA typing :) Without it, only mitochondrial DNA typing can be done - which is inherited directly from your mother ... so all the women in a family line have the same mDNA. Not-so-hair facts you may or may not have wanted to know :) I'll get back out of forensic scientist mode now :)
Hmm, so those things might be granules. I know what the normal cuticle looks like, plenty of pictures I didn't show because I don't want to do so without owners permission, where my hair cuticle looks like my mum's no hole like things on the surface. I've never seen those pore like formations on anyone's hair but mine though, and usually only on the coarse hair. it really looks like holes not grains. They are on the surface too. My hair is dark brown though closer to the root it looks lighter in microscopy (no dye involved).

Thickness differences I know too. My hair is wave so not much variation there, not visible anyway unless I do a cross section, which is too much work for microscope fun whilst waiting for an experiment to finish incubating.

I need to get some of my cat's fur to look at it. :ponder:

Knew about the mitochondial DNA. Did some reading on matermal line tracking before. Very interesting that one. Plant chloroplasts have this type DNA too, comes from both parents of the plant as both the male and female spores contain their chloroplasts.

I don't mind the science talk (being a microbio person and all) I think on any thread with microscope in the title we're allowed to scare people with this a bit. :twisted:


Is this really just x60?
Is it the DIC that makes the cuticle visible?
I am looking for a microscope where I can see blood cells an hair cuticle.

Can you see cuticle without DIC? If so, what magnification?
DIC just makes things more 3D. It works wonderfully on finer and lighter hair. On mine it doesn't work as it's too coarse so you just get the center of it visible and the sides of the hair are black and blurry.

I can see the cuticle on "my" (school owned) microscope with just bright field (not DIC or phase contrast) at 40X objective (with the ocular/camera lens being 10x, it's 400X maginification). My microscope is a lab grade fluorescence equipped Olympus so that's not something a person would have at home. This one goes to 100X objective which is oil only so I don't use it for hair.

We have class microscopes that would allow you to see blood cells well and likely cuticle, also at about 400X magnification, which are much more accessible at $150 ish. No camera on these though.

[HotRag]

DIC just makes things more 3D. It works wonderfully on finer and lighter hair. On mine it doesn't work as it's too coarse so you just get the center of it visible and the sides of the hair are black and blurry.

I can see the cuticle on "my" (school owned) microscope with just bright field (not DIC or phase contrast) at 40X objective (with the ocular/camera lens being 10x, it's 400X maginification). My microscope is a lab grade fluorescence equipped Olympus so that's not something a person would have at home. This one goes to 100X objective which is oil only so I don't use it for hair.

We have class microscopes that would allow you to see blood cells well and likely cuticle, also at about 400X magnification, which are much more accessible at $150 ish. No camera on these though.
Thank you for the information. I thought about magnification including the ocular, so x400 sounds more like what I thought one would have.

Why don't you use the oil for hair?

I have found a microscope like the one you describe as class microscope. No camera. Up to x1000 (objective and ocular together) with "immersion" (correct word?) oil.
I don't know if the optics in this kind of microscope is good enough for such magnifications, I know that some telescopes that are cheap, are useless in their maximum magnifications. To little opening to catch enough light, and problems to focus, or bad lenses/mirrors.

I have troubles though to find info about home microscopes. About telescopes there are loads of sites with good information.

[TheBlondeApple]

I'll add to this. I have access so a nice microscope so put mine, my mum's and a couple of LHCers hair under it (I can post theirs if they ok it.)

You can post mine. I think all pictures are very interesting, hope even more people will post pictures :drama:

I'd have loved that gadget to look at the tick Friday :D

Anja

[Heavenly Locks]

It would be neat to freshly snip a hair end and then look at it to see if your scissors were good! :)

[mira-chan]

Thank you for the information. I thought about magnification including the ocular, so x400 sounds more like what I thought one would have.

Why don't you use the oil for hair?

I have found a microscope like the one you describe as class microscope. No camera. Up to x1000 (objective and ocular together) with "immersion" (correct word?) oil.
I don't know if the optics in this kind of microscope is good enough for such magnifications, I know that some telescopes that are cheap, are useless in their maximum magnifications. To little opening to catch enough light, and problems to focus, or bad lenses/mirrors.

I have troubles though to find info about home microscopes. About telescopes there are loads of sites with good information.
I'm not sure as to the home microscopes, I guess it's because not as many people use them at home. I would suggest looking for ones that are geared to class rooms. Those tend to be sturdy and pretty good. Lab quality ones run in the 10,000 range, so they are not something you'd get for the home. My recommendation lenses wise is Olympus is good, Nikon makes amazing lenses. I think Canon makes microscopes too and that's not too bad either.

I don't use the oil for hair because at 100x the hair would take up the whole view and mine are way too dark for that. I'd just see black. I also look at these things on the side when I have a few free minutes, taking a break from writing and such, and oil requires extra cleanup after. :shrug: 60x is plenty enough.

Immersion is correct.:)


You can post mine. I think all pictures are very interesting, hope even more people will post pictures :drama:

I'd have loved that gadget to look at the tick Friday :D

Anja
Ok, thanks for the permission. :)
My hair is the darker one in these pictures.
10x
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/apple14.jpg

20x
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/apple13.jpg
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/apple12.jpg

40x
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/apple11.jpg

60x
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/apple10.jpg

[mira-chan]

Comparisons with my hair.
10x
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/apple8.jpg
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/apple9.jpg

20x
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/apple7.jpg

40x
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/apple6.jpg
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/apple3.jpg
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/apple4.jpg
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/apple5.jpg

60x
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/apple2.jpg
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/apple1.jpg

[Isilme]

wow, that's amazing! I don't mind the geek talk, geeky things are fun! :D

[jahof45]

This is fascinating to me too!

[feralnature]

I love it! I'm a microbio gal too :)

[HotRag]

I'm not sure as to the home microscopes, I guess it's because not as many people use them at home. I would suggest looking for ones that are geared to class rooms. Those tend to be sturdy and pretty good. Lab quality ones run in the 10,000 range, so they are not something you'd get for the home. My recommendation lenses wise is Olympus is good, Nikon makes amazing lenses. I think Canon makes microscopes too and that's not too bad either.

I don't use the oil for hair because at 100x the hair would take up the whole view and mine are way too dark for that. I'd just see black. I also look at these things on the side when I have a few free minutes, taking a break from writing and such, and oil requires extra cleanup after. :shrug: 60x is plenty enough.

Immersion is correct.:)
Thank you for the information about manufacturers.
The one I found, is kind of class room microscope. It would cost about $255, and one can buy dark field equipment, camera, many different filters and such for this microscope. Equipment are the same as for much more expensive microscopes from the same manufacturer. I will check manufacturer.

Konus is a one I found at another site, and Konus is said to be good enough when talking telescopes. Good quality but no "luxurious" extras.

[jahof45]

What is in the center of the hair strand? Is it hollow like a drinking straw?

[Carina]

I just love this thread.Thanks Rini for starting it.The pics Nightshade shows of heat damaged hair are also great.

[eresh]

My craving for such a microscope is growing stronger!
Plaese, more pictures :)

[Forever_Sophie]

Oh, that is so cool!! Thanks for sharing :)

[longhairedfairy]

That looks so neat! The hairs look like glass!

[mira-chan]

What is in the center of the hair strand? Is it hollow like a drinking straw?
Hollow center? you mean the lighter part? That is the part I'm focusing on. Hair isn't flat, the dark parts are shadow from it being more 3D.

In the white dot picture you can see the center cortex of my hair that has the most pigment in it.


Thank you for the information about manufacturers.
The one I found, is kind of class room microscope. It would cost about $255, and one can buy dark field equipment, camera, many different filters and such for this microscope. Equipment are the same as for much more expensive microscopes from the same manufacturer. I will check manufacturer.

Konus is a one I found at another site, and Konus is said to be good enough when talking telescopes. Good quality but no "luxurious" extras.
I haven't heard of Konus, thanks for telling me about it. Yea, the parts are more expensive than the microscope itself at times.

Also maybe ask the local University which microscopes they use for their classes. They might have extra information available in this, special deals. Some microscopes sales people have a sample copy that they have to switch to a new one every year or so, and they sell that cheaper. Equipment too.

[Igor]

This is so cool

Thank you both for posting this!

How fascinating!!

:rockerdud

[jahof45]

That is interesting. Thank you for the info. Are you able to get a photo of the different layers of a hair? I'd love to see what's inside.

[mira-chan]

That is interesting. Thank you for the info. Are you able to get a photo of the different layers of a hair? I'd love to see what's inside.
That would require cross-sections (cutting the hair) and I don't have that equipment and that would probably use more lab supplies than a "for fun" viewing would allow.

[jahof45]

Ah, didn't know. I'm still happy for what you have shared. Thanks!

[mira-chan]

Ah, didn't know. I'm still happy for what you have shared. Thanks!
You're welcome. :flowers:

I have some more for you to enjoy.:)

My hair is the ever present comparison, at 0.09cm in diameter. BlondeApple's was 0.06- 0.07cm. My friend (inactive member here, Turean) donated some samples a while back. her hair is fine and bleached, 0.04- 0.05 cm in diameter.

20x
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/bleachedfinehair10x-1.jpg

40x
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/bleachedfinehair20x-1.jpg

60x - blurry because this lens needed a cleaning. one of the students got to it before me. :rolleyes:
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/bleachedfinehair40x1-1.jpg
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/bleachedfinehair40x2-1.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/fineblondvscoarsedark-1.jpg
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/fineblondvscoasedark-1.jpg

This is all bright field (regular light) microscopy.

[HotRag]

I haven't heard of Konus, thanks for telling me about it. Yea, the parts are more expensive than the microscope itself at times.

Also maybe ask the local University which microscopes they use for their classes. They might have extra information available in this, special deals. Some microscopes sales people have a sample copy that they have to switch to a new one every year or so, and they sell that cheaper. Equipment too.
I can see now that the manufacturer that seems best to buy from for me, is Sagitta. The seller keeps much equipment for those microscopes and have several models of microscopes.

I also saw that the price was without "moms" (VAT maybe, not regular tax, but a extra one) that will to add 20 % to the price.

I found three manufacturers, all had nearly the same price for comparable microscopes. Guess they are alike in quality. One of them was from more known manufacturer.

Well well, I want one, but do I REALLY need one? :D It will be expensive just to look at hair and occasionally at other stuff.

[Rini]

I just love this thread.Thanks Rini for starting it.The pics Nightshade shows of heat damaged hair are also great.

No worries at all, although I think Mirachan has posted far more informative pics than me! My microscope is just a toy I think :o I too would like to see more.....MUCH more :D

Actually, if anyone has some henna hair they'd like to send me, I'd rather like to see that magnified.....just for the pretty colour really! Anyone? PM me :eyebrows:

[Arctic]

My camera takes quite nice super macro pictures that are almost comparable to Rini's USB microscope. I can post here the pics I have in my blog if that's OK? (henna hair actually!!! :eyebrows:)

[milemma]

oh this is fun, I love this, your hair seem very healthy !

[Rini]

Yes Arctic!!!! Please do!!

[Arctic]

Yes Arctic!!!! Please do!!


All right! I have lots more on my computer!


Fairy knot (not very sharp):

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc33/LingonberryMist/Hiukset/20081016002-muoks.jpg



My scalp:

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc33/LingonberryMist/Hiukset/20080901051_muoks_sm.jpg


http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc33/LingonberryMist/Hiukset/20080901049_muoks_sm.jpg


http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc33/LingonberryMist/Hiukset/20080901021_muoks_sm.jpg


Hair strands:

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc33/LingonberryMist/Hiukset/20071109013_muoks.jpg


http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc33/LingonberryMist/Hiukset/20071109006_muoks2.jpg


http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc33/LingonberryMist/Hiukset/20071109006_muoks.jpg



Braids:

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc33/LingonberryMist/Hiukset/20080706015_muoks.jpg


http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc33/LingonberryMist/Hiukset/20080115_2009_muoks.jpg


http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc33/LingonberryMist/Hiukset/20090404013_muoks.jpg

[Arctic]

Some more:)


A single hairstrand that has henna sparkles and is uneven in texture:

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc33/LingonberryMist/Hiukset/2008070802_muoks.jpg


Heavy oiled tips:

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc33/LingonberryMist/Hiukset/20080809023_muoks.jpg


Another fairy knot with match:

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc33/LingonberryMist/Hiukset/20081128004_muoks.jpg


Henna and natural colour in braid:

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc33/LingonberryMist/Hiukset/20090404015_muoks.jpg


Another braid:

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc33/LingonberryMist/Hiukset/20090404013_muoks2.jpg

[mira-chan]

Beautiful pictures Arctic.


I can see now that the manufacturer that seems best to buy from for me, is Sagitta. The seller keeps much equipment for those microscopes and have several models of microscopes.

I also saw that the price was without "moms" (VAT maybe, not regular tax, but a extra one) that will to add 20 % to the price.

I found three manufacturers, all had nearly the same price for comparable microscopes. Guess they are alike in quality. One of them was from more known manufacturer.

Well well, I want one, but do I REALLY need one? :D It will be expensive just to look at hair and occasionally at other stuff.
Yea. I have a very simple toy version microscope at home. I got it when I was 13 of so for my birthday. Quality of the lenses is sadly lacking. It is good for a first microscope practice. I'll clean it and give it to my niece in a couple of years. I got my first microscope, single objective old metal one, when I was 6 years old or so. :D

Lab equipment is convenient for the occasional "ooh! I want to look at this" urge.


No worries at all, although I think Mirachan has posted far more informative pics than me! My microscope is just a toy I think :o I too would like to see more.....MUCH more :D

Actually, if anyone has some henna hair they'd like to send me, I'd rather like to see that magnified.....just for the pretty colour really! Anyone? PM me :eyebrows:
I had that microscope when I was younger. Well dad had it, I just borrowed it to look at everything when I could get my hands on it. It's the hand-held one right?

I have some henna'd hair pictures but Emi would have to ok me posting them.

I can take pictures of hair sent to me too, I did so with BlondeApple's.

[Arctic]

[quote=mira-chan;585390]Beautiful pictures Arctic.

Thanks!

[jahof45]

Arctic, Beautiful photos and your hair is gorgeous. Wow, thanks for sharing! Love the braids too.

ETA: does anyone have a photo of a hair skin tag?

[Rini]

Thanks Arctic!!! Those are just lovely :inlove: I have always loved henna and do still miss it in my own hair :( Your photos are gorgeous!

[Igor]

Arctic..... Gosh!
:thudpile:

[Dachsdragon]

The photos are awesome! Thanks for sharing

[Arctic]

I'm glad you all have liked my photos :D

[Igor]

Liked them? Your hair looks like a river of liquid copper! :bowtome:

It made me wish I was tiny microscopic so I could bounce around in it :whistle: :oops:

[BlackfootHair]

Some more:)


A single hairstrand that has henna sparkles and is uneven in texture:




Heavy oiled tips:

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc33/LingonberryMist/Hiukset/20080809023_muoks.jpg




This looks like spaghetti! :)

[Clarita]

Wow! Very interesting! I guess I'm weird because I find the scalp pictures fascinating! I keep going back to look at them again.

[jahof45]

This looks like spaghetti! :)

LOL red angel hair pasta!

[bahannas]

Anybody have some close-ups of damage? A split end or two? :D I'd love to see what they look like in detail.

[Dolly]

Anybody have some close-ups of damage? A split end or two? :D I'd love to see what they look like in detail.


Check out Nightshade's article.....scary pics....

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=79

[Nyghtingale]

So pretty, thanks for posting these.

[lora410]

I am in awe. Your hair looks amazing and really cool :D

[jahof45]

Ew, the damaged hair looks so, well, damaged. OMG, is that what really happens with a blow dryer?

[mira-chan]

Arctic, Beautiful photos and your hair is gorgeous. Wow, thanks for sharing! Love the braids too.

ETA: does anyone have a photo of a hair skin tag?
I have some. :D

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/fineblondvscoarsedarkroots-1.jpg
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/finehairrootbleached-1.jpg
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/meshedroot.jpg

Spit end, I think this is from my scanner, not microscope. Other than the dot I didn't find any shed hairs with damage.
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/IMG_3619.jpg
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/IMG_3618.jpg

This shed hair I snapped in half before looking at the ripped end.
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/merippedhair.jpg

[jahof45]

Wow, the skin tag looks like q-tips. Amazing. Thank you for those photos.

[mira-chan]

Wow, the skin tag looks like q-tips. Amazing. Thank you for those photos.
You're welcome. ^_^

[jahof45]

I'm going to have to get a microscope. This is too interesting not to explore in depth.

[MountainGypsy]

Truly fascinating photos! The scalp ones just blew me away!

[jahof45]

The facial hair was a little gross however. Actually seeing hair break through the face skin was a little more than I wanted to see. Made me a little queasy. LOL I'm such a wimp.

[wintersun99]

How fun! I could go nuts with a microscope! I am so curious to see what my hair would look like. :D

[eresh]

I made some of my (oiled) hair today.
Nevermind the dust in it :p

Done with my cameras macro, which isn't spectacular, but close enough :)
The thumbs enlarge and those photos enlarge too (you can click on them 2x after opening the thumbnail)
http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/5425/oiledhair4.th.jpg (http://img38.imageshack.us/my.php?image=oiledhair4.jpg) http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/4715/oiledhair5.th.jpg (http://img38.imageshack.us/my.php?image=oiledhair5.jpg) http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/6729/oiledhair1.th.jpg (http://img269.imageshack.us/my.php?image=oiledhair1.jpg)
http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/5824/oiledhair6a.th.jpg (http://img269.imageshack.us/my.php?image=oiledhair6a.jpg)
What's the stripiness, traces of the old dye perhaps, or pigment disappearing?
Cool to see that some hairs are going grey and some hair still shines a bit red in places (my hair is brown/light brown)

And a knot!
http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/2731/close5fairyknot.th.jpg (http://img268.imageshack.us/my.php?image=close5fairyknot.jpg)

[eresh]

And now a close up of clean, washed hair (dried overnight)
It looks really different than the oiled pictures!
http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/1518/hair1.th.jpg (http://img155.imageshack.us/my.php?image=hair1.jpg)

No split ends, yay
http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/193/hair3.th.jpg (http://img155.imageshack.us/my.php?image=hair3.jpg) http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/8056/hair4.th.jpg (http://img155.imageshack.us/my.php?image=hair4.jpg)

All pics can be enlarged 3x

[Rini]

Thanks eresh!! I love the pics of your braid :inlove: Those stripes are just so beautiful. It's so incredible how there are all these different colours in our hair and we don't even know it!

[Rini]

The facial hair was a little gross however. Actually seeing hair break through the face skin was a little more than I wanted to see. Made me a little queasy. LOL I'm such a wimp.
Oh sorry!! Were you referring to the pics of my hubby's beard stubble? Yeah, it was a bit gross...and when I think of how many times I kiss that on a daily basis.... :uhh:

[glitterbug]

Hollow center? you mean the lighter part? That is the part I'm focusing on. Hair isn't flat, the dark parts are shadow from it being more 3D.

In the white dot picture you can see the center cortex of my hair that has the most pigment in it.


I haven't heard of Konus, thanks for telling me about it. Yea, the parts are more expensive than the microscope itself at times.

Also maybe ask the local University which microscopes they use for their classes. They might have extra information available in this, special deals. Some microscopes sales people have a sample copy that they have to switch to a new one every year or so, and they sell that cheaper. Equipment too.

Which microscope did you use for this?

[Schipperchow]

Wow! Your hair looks so strong! I like seeing the graduated colors. I would love to have one of those gadgets and I've thought of having a microscopic analysis done of my scalp & hair

[prettyinpink]

Somebody with a microscope should do before and after pictures of castor oil scalp treatments. i would love to know if it really does thicken hair!

[Enrapture]

Oh! I've always wanted to do that! I've put the hairs in school microscopes, but i can't see them very closely there. :(