HAIR/FIBERS

History of Hair and Fiber Analysis

One of the first papers on hair analysis was published in France in 1857. & by the early 1900's microscopic examination of hair was established and well used. A single hair holds information which can help us find out the race, sex, and the age of its owner, even though a fingerprint can hold more information a single strand of hair will do if that is all to be found. Hairs can be found anywhere: On the suspect, the victim, the crime scene, etc. Hair is composed of many many elements. But the most common are protein substances and keratin. Hairs absorbent property comes in handy with arsenic poisoning cases, because it is found in the hair. Examination of the roots can help let scientists know if the hair had fallen out or if it was forcefully removed. Scientists can find whether hair is human or animal, what race it is, what species of animal if animal hair, or what body part it came from. Fibers although let the scientists know what kind of clothing the suspect was wearing or has. Fibers which are synthetic must be identified with infrared spectrophotometry. Scientists can determine the identity of a fiber by the way it absorbs light.




Analysis of Hair and Fibers
 The analysis of hair and fiber under a microscope can tell us many different things about a suspect or victim. For example, we can use hair to tell their race, and if they use shampoo or conditioner. Fibers can also be used to tell what kind of clothes that they were wearing. Examples of Fibers you may find are cotton, silk, wool, nylon, and polyester. Hair and fiber analysis is not the most reliable way of trying to identify a suspect because it only tells you certain details about them and not their identity, that is unless you take DNA from the hair or fiber sample.