Response of hair types in mice to higher doses of x‐rays

Doses of x‐rays exceeding 1,000 r delivered to resting hair follicles of mice cause a variable greying response ranging from 60 to 100%. The purpose of this study was to study this phenomenon with specific reference to the response of zigzags and overhairs to irradiation. Accordingly, mice were exposed to 1,200 r and 1,300 r of x‐rays and the response of hairs from a known area was compared with that of unirradiated controls and mice given 600 r, 800 r and 1,000 r, of radiation. It was found that at the higher doses, variations in total greying response were paralleled by variations in the response of both zigzags and overhairs, that there is relatively greater epilation of overhairs, and that zigzags contribute most heavily to both the white and the totally pigmented fractions. The results of this study therefore do not support the previous suggestion that the variable greying response is a function of a relative increase of pigmented overhairs in conjunction with selective damage of zigzags.