[relatively large] "roots" that fill the hair follice.
Once they get beyond a mm or so long, they can make
pulling the scab a bit..difficult.
The scabs with multiple roots are especially annoying.
Never mind breaking the cheezy plastic combs, the
"tree stump" roots are repeatedly bending the metal teeth
of the "flea" comb. "Comb...comb...comb..THUD! #**$#!"
It does seem a little creepy that a "scab" establishes
a solid, thick root[s] to keep itself nourished and growing.
^
..the thin streaks of red running up the root look
suspiciously like blood. Perhaps maintaining
a solid, secure connection to the base of the follicle
enables the scab to feed on the capillary blood that
is supposed to be nourishing HAIR?
[..Morgellons as a micro vampire disorder..]
The scabs appear to be built up using the transparent particles in the blood. If the particles can repeatedly
jump from the capillaries to the "root"..perhaps the
follicle blood vessels are damaged in the process...
and are leaking blood cells into the root.
...or maybe it's just more red pigmented gels being
sucked/pushed up the root to the "scab".
*