- Red Hair Color -
That's What It's All About!

Think about it...that red hair color:

-- It catches your eye...

-- You think, “Look at that red hair!”

-- You're staring at those cute kids...

So, WHY is the hair red anyway?

Hair gets its color from very tiny granules of pigment within the hair itself (cortex, or middle of the hair) called melanin, a protein.

THE 2 TYPES OF MELANIN ARE:

• Eulemanin: the dark pigment with 2 subtypes of brown or black. This determines how dark the hair color is. These granules are oval in shape.
  -- Brunette hair and black hair have high levels.
• Phaeomelanin: the lighter reddish pigment that colors hair red. Everyone's hair has different concentrations. These granules are partly oval and partly rod shaped.
  -- Red hair and blonde hair have higher levels.

Humans have a mixture of the 2 types of melanin to provide the different hair shades we see. So, because of this, there is a definite range of colors and shades that result such as brown, red, black, and blonde/yellow (but not green, blue, etc.)

RARITY OF RED HAIR:

And, as far as natural hair colors, red is the rarest...According to Wikipedia and other sources, only 1% to 2% of humans are redheads. However, the frequency is a bit higher in northern and western Europeans, about 2% to 6%. Visit my "Genes" page to learn a bit more about the genetics of it.

Nevertheless, different terms describe the shades such as....

• Strawberry blonde (lightest shade, almost blonde with red undertones)
• Carrot or orange color (is the brightest)
• Ginger (fiery red/orange)
• Copper (similar to new one-cent copper penny)
• Fiery red
• Titian (is a bit lighter than auburn)
• Rust
• Pre-Raphaelite warm red shades
• Auburn (brown hair with red undertones, reddish-brown)
• Chestnut (auburn shade)
• Mahoganey (darkest of auburn shades)

Hair shades can change with time as well. Red hair color usually darkens over time and some redheads go from brilliant ginger to a deep rust or brown-red. (However, sun can also bleach it lighter as well.)

So....red hair color is one of the reasons for the nicknames that red heads must endure!

TURNING GRAY?

Late in life, people with red hair MAY experience their hair turning a sandy color first before turning a beautiful gray or white. This is because we lose the melanin in our hair as we age. (Personally, I say "embrace the gray"!)

"Gray hair is a crown of glory..." [Proverbs 16:31 NLT]

"The glory of the young is their strength; the gray hair of experience is the splendor of the old." [Proverbs 20:29 NLT]

WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT YOUR HAIR?

-- IF you want to find out about what hair is made of,
click on "HAIR ANATOMY"

-- IF you want tips for healthier shinier hair,
click on "HAIR CARE TIPS"

-- IF you want a few ideas on things you can do for a new look for your ginger hair, see the 'HAIRDOS' page.

-- Also visit my HAIRSTYLES GALLERY -- This is new ...I'll be adding cute styles to this page regularly so please check back for more ideas.

-- IF you're not a natural redhead but want red hair color (or have graying red hair that you want to cover), check out info and the risks of dyeing your hair with traditional HAIR DYE"

-- IF you want red hair color but would like to consider a natural hair dye, see my page on HENNA HAIR DYE"

-- IF you want to find out how fast hair grows,
click on "HAIR GROWTH"

Leave "Red Hair Color" and go to "Home Page"

Go to "Nicknames"

Go to "Seeing Red"

The Lily Series, Non-Fiction Volumes 1 & 2