These factors are not even completely understood by scientists.Ĭhanges in hair color in kids and teenagers are most likely due to changing hormones. Many different factors can turn hair pigment genes on and off. Chong) But what causes these genes to be turned on or turned off? Hair is produced at the bottom of the shaft, and melanocytes add pigments to the growing hair. (Image: T. If this happens in the cells at the bottom of your hairs, your hair might change color!ĭifferent genes control the levels of eumelanin and pheomelanin produced by melanocytes. The genes for making melanin might turn on or off over the course of a person’s lifetime. They just aren’t using the pigment genes. In these cells, the melanin genes are “turned off.” This is why these parts of your skin are lighter than everywhere else. But not all cells are using this instruction manual!įor example, the cells on your palms and bottom of your feet don’t need to make melanin. All cells in your body have the gene for melanin. Genes are the instruction manuals for cells, and just like anything else our cells can do, there are genes that have the instructions for making melanin. The amount of pheomelanin pigment determines how red our hair is. The amount of eumelanin pigment determines how dark our hair is. We all have genes to produce both pigments. There are two types of melanin: eumelanin and pheomelanin. If these cells don’t make much melanin, your hair turns blonde. When these cells make a lot of melanin, your hair turns brown or black. These cells live at the bottom of each strand of hair. This melanin pigment is made by special cells called melanocytes. It’s the same pigment that gives skin its color! The most important genes here are ones that make pigment, which is what gives hair its color. And since genes can turn on and off throughout our lives, this means your hair color can change! Hair can come in many different colors, and can change with age! ( Wikimedia) But it’s not just by the genes we have, but also by whether those genes are turned on or turned off. Hair and eye color are mostly determined by our genes.
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