Anatomy of the Vocal Cords
Dr. Richard Vivero, Otolaryngologist with Baptist Health South Florida, explains the vocal cords are made of three layers. "At the base is a large muscle called the thyroarytenoid that allows them to open and close."
He also says above it is the superficial inappropriate layer that gives the vocal cords softness, and then there is an epithelium, which is a type of tissue, like a skin, and that increases the risk for cancer later when you have been smoking.
