a disorder of the cells lining the inside of a hair follicle. It is the normal function of these cells to detach from the lining and attach to the growing hair, and die while converting themselves to contain keratin, so becoming a part of the hair.

Hyperkeratinization is a disorder of the cells lining the inside of a hair follicle. It is the normal function of these cells to detach or slough off (desquamate) from the skin lining at normal intervals. The dead cells are then forced out of the follicle (primarily by the growing hair.