The hair follicle that produces tightly curled hair is typically:

• A. Wavy
• B. Round
• C. Square
• D. Elliptical

Answer: (D)

Curl pattern is shaped by the way the hair grows from the follicle and the hair shaft’s cross-section. When the follicle and the shaft are round, the hair tends to grow straight. If the shaft is flatter or oval, the hair bends as it grows, creating waves. For tightly curled hair, the cross-section is more flattened or elliptical, causing the hair to twist more as it emerges. So an elliptical follicle best describes the source of tightly curled hair. Round would lead to straight hair, square isn’t a typical descriptor for follicle shape, and wavy describes a less extreme curl than the tightly curled case.