Hair is a fine, flexible filament made largely of the structural protein keratin that grows from follicles embedded in the skin. In humans and other mammals it covers much of the body and serves functions including protection, insulation, sensation, and the regulation of body temperature, as well as having social an…
Hair is a fine, flexible filament made largely of the structural protein keratin that grows from follicles embedded in the skin. In humans and other mammals it covers much of the body and serves functions including protection, insulation, sensation, and the regulation of body temperature, as well as having social and cosmetic significance. Each hair is produced by a hair follicle, a small organ in the skin that contains the cells responsible for generating the hair shaft, along with associated structures such as the sebaceous gland and the tiny muscle that makes hair stand upright. Hair grows in cycles of active growth, transition, and rest, and its color comes from melanin pigments produced by specialized cells in the follicle. The condition of hair and the activity of its follicles are influenced by genetics, hormones, nutrition, age, and exposure to chemicals and environmental factors. Research on hair spans the biology of the follicle, the hair growth cycle, disorders of hair loss and excessive growth, and the effects of treatments and products applied to hair and scalp. As part of Dermatologic Research And Therapy, this open-access page gathers peer-reviewed studies relevant to the hair follicle, scalp and skin biology, and the effects of treatments and exposures on hair.
12 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
The 12 articles above have been cited 39 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Hair, linking to each citing work.