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Human hair diameter: size and comparison

The adopted reference is about 70 µm.

Representative diameter

70 µm = 0.07 mm. A micron (µm) is a millimeter divided by 1,000.

Hair thickness varies greatly between individuals.

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Human hair, interpreted illustration
Interpreted illustration · dimension stated in the fact sheet.

What does this number measure?

Hair thickness varies greatly between individuals. Displayed dimension: representative diameter.

The value compares a representative hair diameter, not the length of the illustrated fragment. Real hair varies between people and between individual hairs.

Compare the stated dimensions

The comparison uses the number in each fact sheet: altitude, height, diameter, length or distance, depending on the reference. Two values in metres do not necessarily describe the same property.

Source and limitations

Catalogue value to check against the source; not individually audited.

Human hair: a short vertical fragment of keratinised shaft, with the scaly cuticle exaggerated. The dimension compares the transverse diameter, not the fragment's length; interpreted morphological model.