False-colour scanning electron micrograph of the human scalp with hairs. At centre, four emerging thick hairs can be seen near the shaft of an old hair (lower right). Although each hair arises from its own follicle within the epidermis, here the hairs are closely associated at the surface. A white waxy secretion of sebum adheres to some of the new hairs, secreted from a deeper sebaceous gland. Cells of the scalp epidermis can be seen around the site. Hair is made up of a fibrous protein called keratin; the hair shaft is covered with keratin scales, or plates, which in the younger hairs are undeveloped and resemble a spiral. Magnification: x380 at 35mm size.