The human hair shaft is covered with multiple scale-like cuticular layers. During the terminal differentiation stage of immature cuticular cells within the hair follicle, cysteine-rich calcium binding S100A3 protein is predominantly translated, and its arginine residues are converted to citrullines by peptidylarginine deiminases (PADI). In this study, we found several naturally occurring compounds (e.g., hinokitiol, escletin, and quercetin) elevate S100A3 citrullination in a human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line (SW480). Selected compounds similarly promoted cuticular differentiation within isolated human hair follicles. Their promotive activities correlated with the previously reported inhibitory activities of arachidonate 12-lipoxygenase (ALOX12) in vitro. Microarray analysis revealed that ALOX12 inhibitor remarkably up-regulated heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HBEGF). ALOX12 inhibitor and recombinant HBEGF similarly regulated expression of PADI genes in SW480 cells. In isolated hair follicles, arachidonic acid strongly promoted S100A3 citrullination along with elevation of HBEGF. These results suggest that ALOX12 inhibition efficiently triggers hair cuticle maturation by modulating arachidonate metabolism in concert with HBEGF.Key words S100A3 citrullination; hair cuticle; hinokitiol; arachidonate 12-lipoxygenase inhibitor; heparinbinding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor; human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line From hair epithelial matrix cells, the cuticle, cortex, and medulla of the hair fiber and the inner root sheathes are formed. This trichogenic epithelial portion, together with the outer root sheath and dermal papilla, comprise an intact hair follicle. Post-translational protein modification within hair epithelial matrix cells is a crucial terminal differentiation process leading to proper hair shaft formation. 1) Hair texture and resilience are largely influenced by physical properties of outermost cuticle layers.2) Furthermore, a number of studies have shown a correlation between various hair shaft disorders and molecular defects.3) S100A3 protein is a cysteinerich Ca 2+