Name three hair shaft components.

• A. Medulla, follicle, and keratin.
• B. Medulla and cuticle only.
• C. Cuticle, cortex, and medulla.
• D. Cuticle and cortex only.

Answer: (C)

The hair shaft has three main structural layers: the cuticle, cortex, and medulla. The cuticle is the outer protective layer made of overlapping scale-like cells that shield the inner layers and help with shine. The cortex sits beneath, forming the thick middle layer that contains the keratin fibers and most of the hair’s pigment, giving it strength, elasticity, and color. At the center is the medulla, a core that can be hollow or filled with cells; its presence varies with hair type and is not always visible in finer hair. The follicle, while essential to growing hair, surrounds the root and is not part of the shaft itself.