- Conical scales are crown-like
- Belong to small rodents and also bats
- Not human hair
- Spinous scales are petal-like
- Triangular in shape
- Protrude from hair shaft
- Found in seal, cat, and other animal fur
- Not human hair
- Imbricate scales are flattened
- Have overlapping scales
- Most common in human hair, also found in some animal hair
To determine a human hair form an animal hair, the medulla (dark line in the middle of the hair) often varies in size. The medulla in human hair is thinner than animal hair by less than approximately 1/3.