Glossary

Cuticle: The outer protective layer of the hair.

Follicle: The lacuna or depression in the skin from which the hair grows

Crochet: Needlework done by interlocking (loose hairs) with a hooked needle

Crown: The top or highest part of the head

Felting: A technique where fibers (hairs) are matted using a needle or hook. The fibers (hairs) form the structure of the fabric (dreadlock)

Hairweaving: The process of sewing a hairpiece of human hair with the wearer's own hair

Nape: The back of the neck

Petroleum: A thick, oily mixture of gaseous, liquid and solid hydrocarbons that occur naturally beneath the earth’s surface. Varying almost colorless to black, it is prepared for uses such as natural gas, gasoline, naphtha, kerosene, lubricating oils and paraffin wax (and in some wax used for dreadlocks so beware!)

Root: The part of a hair that is embedded in a hair follicle

Sebum: The oily substance secreted through the sebaceous glands

Track: A tiny braid that runs tight to the scalp from one side of the head to the other where the hair weft is sewn.

Weft: A strip of material or a series of horizontal threads interlaced so that human hair can be hand-tied or machine sewn to. Also known as a hair weave

For a complete list of hair ingredients and chemical terminology go here

For a complete list of definitions of hair products and tools go here