Why is my hair color changing?

Question

I am asian and always had dark dark black hair. In the last two years however, my hair has been changing colors. My hair is becoming brown-reddish to the point that people ask me what color I use to dye my hair. I've never dyed my hair in my life. What could make my hair change colors? I'm not anooyed with it, just curious.

oops more details. I 'm 24 and I guess I have as much sun exposure as anybody else.

for those who are wondering, it's not that it "looks" brown-red". My hairdresser did ask me what color I used to dye my hair. She had a hard time believing I never dyed it.

Answer 1

Sun can be one contributor, frequent use of a swimming pool full of chlorine can be another.
Here is the full science blurb....
Melanocytes do not color hair as it is originally formed. Fresh hair, under the skin, has no color; it picks up color as it lengthens. The hair is going to grow if the hair is colored or not. The hair shaft develops in the follicle, surrounded by melanocytes. The melanocyte pigments enter the hair shaft cortex by diffusion through the cuticle and keratin. So the important fact is that the melanocytes act independently of the growth of hair. Melanocytes simply behave as melanocytes and the pigment is “picked up” adventitiously by the growing hair.

There are two types of pigment that give hair its color; these are eumelanin (brown/black) and pheomelanin (yellow/red). A low concentration of eumelanin in the hair and low concentration of pheomelanin will result in an ash blond color; while more eumelanin, will result in a “dirty blond” or light brown color. Even higher eumelanin will result in deep black pigmented hair. Pheomelanin in low concentrations causes a yellow tone, increasing to strawberry red, with higher concentrations causing increasing red color effects. Pheo- and eu- melanins usually occur paired, and create the many varied effects we see, such as auburn hair.

Pheomelanin breaks down more slowly than eumelanin when oxidized, which accounts for darker hair turning red to orange to yellow during the bleaching process. That is also the reason why mummies all have red hair.

Color producing melanocytes are not sensitive to light stimulus, per se. However, keratinocytes are very sensitive to light. When exposed to sunlight, keratinocytes release melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH), which binds to the melanocyte activating receptor, Mc1r on the melanocyte. Thus the melanocytes are activated and produce pigment. Melanocytes increase their production of pheo- and eu- melanins, as programmed by the genetic make up of the individual.

Answer 2

Hair Color Change

Answer 3

Everybody ages differently. You can never compare your self to your siblings. Your hair color changes as you get older, in the sun more often tends to lighten hair also. As you go through puberty, you will experience a lot of changes. Talk to your mom or dad about some of the changes you should expect. You seem smart and educated for an 11 year old. Your parents must be doing a good job, go talk to them!

Answer 4

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Why is my hair color changing?
I am asian and always had dark dark black hair. In the last two years however, my hair has been changing colors. My hair is becoming brown-reddish to the point that people ask me what color I use to dye my hair. I've never dyed my hair in my life. What could make my hair change colors? I'm...

Answer 5

sometimes the seasons are blamed for this (believe me i know in summer my hair changes from brown to a dirty blonde) anyways , the same thing might be happening to you as well . if you go out in the sun a lot your hair can change colors from the sun . and in winter since there is little sun your hair might change darker.
or
it could be genetics like when i was little i had blonde hair and as i got older my hair dramatically changed to a mocha brown.
well hope that helped

Answer 6

I think it would be the sun. It could just be naturally getting lighter as you age. Not like it will go grey, just that it gets lighter. I know I am much younger and this probably isn't the case, but when I was three or four, I had bright blonde, almost platinum hair. Now, it's naturally very dark blonde, almost brunette. I dye it though, so it still looks blonde, haha.

Answer 7

it's not terrible uncomonnon for caucasion kids to change hair color during their lives. My husband was a sandy blonde until his teen age years, then he turned almost jet black.

I can't say that this is happens in Asian kids, but it's possible. Also, was there any mixing of genese in your family tree? If there has been intermarrying, even way back, the recessive genes may be expressing themselves.

Interesting question. You get a star.

Answer 8

It could be several things but the one that comes to mind is when you get older your hair starts to get lighter. Also the amount of time spent in the sun will have an effect on your hair.

Answer 9

It could either be the sun or your health. Some people don't eat healthy, so the hair lacks the nutrients it needs and sometimes changes color.

Answer 10

I prefer hair that will is shoulder length or longer, And since that men who like ladies are more often then not straight, they like long hair because it looks more feminine, as most men have short hair.