GENERAL HISTOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -The shape of the hair follicle, which is inherited from our parents is the determining factor in whether our hair is straight or curly. If your follicle is round, hair will tend to grow straight, while an oval follicle will give wavy hair and a hooked or elliptical-shaped follicle will give you curly hair.

Detailed explanation-2: -Your follicle shape is partly determined by what genes you have. Your DNA might cause you to have perfectly round follicles. In this case you would have straight hair. Or your DNA might cause you to have oval-shaped follicles, leading to curly hair.

Detailed explanation-3: -The flatter the oval shape, the curlier the hair. Another contributing factor is the way the follicle tunnels into the scalp. Straight hair follicles tunnel down vertically from the skin’s surface into the dermis. If the follicle angles into the dermis this will lead to a curve which will curl as it grows.

Detailed explanation-4: -In straight hair, all the cells in the follicle act in a coordinated fashion, leading to even hair growth from the straight follicle. These hairs are round. However, in curly hair, the way that the cells divide and produce certain proteins is asymmetrical and correlates with the bends in the curved follicle.