Effect of hair epilator on the surface morphology of hair: scanning electron microscopic study

ABSTRACT

No work has been performed on the determination of the effect of hair remover[depilatory agent] on the morphology of hair. This could have high practicalvalue in medicolegal identification of persons as well as circumstances of thecrime. It could also help in the diagnosis of poisoning by depilatorysubstances. In the present study, scanning electron microscopy was used toidentify the specific morphological changes of hair removers on rat's hair. The study revealed highly characteristic changes in the form of loosening andspacing at hair root, bending, collapsing and twisting of hair shaft,distortion of the normal cylindrical appearance [depression or bulging,loosening and fall out of cuticular scales and formation of variable sizedebris]. The study recommended the use of scanning electron microscopic examination of hairs for the identification and diagnosis of depilatory agents poisoning