Exploring Microscopic and Spectroscopic Techniques in Forensic Hair Analysis: A Comprehensive Review

Background: Hair assists as crucial evidence in any forensic investigations that has strong ability to link suspects to crime scenes or victims. One of the most traditional methods of forensic hair examination is microscopy which aids in morphological examination. However, with advent of more advanced techniques such as spectroscopy, deciphering the chemical and structural information. In view to this, the present review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of both microscopic and spectroscopic methods employed in forensic hair analysis. Methodology: A systematic search was performed in the ScienceDirect and R-Discovery databases. Research articles published between time period 2014-2025 were included in the review. The identification phase yielded 2,399 records from ScienceDirect and R-Discovery databases. After removing 4 duplicates, 2,335 records remained. Following title and abstract review, 2,189 were excluded, leaving 146 for full-text retrieval. After assessment, 39 articles were included in the review. Conclusion: This review provides a concise overview of microscopic and spectroscopic techniques used for human hair analysis, along with a discussion of the advantages and limitations of each approach.