Application of AFM Technique in the Study of Human Hair – A Narrative Review

ABSTRACT

Studies of human hair at the microscale have mainly been carried out using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The development of the atomic force microscope (AFM) at the end of the 1980s enabled further research even at the nanoscale. The AFM technique does not alter the structure or composition of the hair fiber, which is why numerous attempts have been made to study hair using this technique. Initially, AFM was used for in-depth analysis of hair fiber surface morphology. Subsequently, it has become possible to study the mechanical properties of hair depending on the degree of damage or ethnicity and the influence of cosmetics. With the development of the method, hybrid AFM techniques have ensured the identification of hair structures and the study of their chemical properties. This article summarizes the available research on human hair using AFM with a focus on its application in the medical and cosmetological fields.