I picked up the 3D World magazine today and seen the full page advert for Poser 8 on page 37. The hair detail (hair, eyebrows etc) on the model looks very convincing, though the lighting is too high key for my taste. Softer lighting might have made the model look even more lifelike in the advert, as would less contrast and less saturated skin tones IMHO.
On page 15 there is a picture of "Girl with Earring" by Steven Sun and he managed what I think is perfectly convincing facial skin and eyes, and lovely use of lighting. Steven has apparently only been doing 3D work for two years and I think if he can produce work of this calibre in so short a time, then there is hope for newbies like me.