Why is our hair different colours?

Inside our hair are tiny, tiny cells. These cells make a colouring substance called melanin. The more melanin there is, the darker the hair is. If there is less, the hair is yellow or a light colour.

There are two types of melanin. One gives a brown-black colour, and the other gives a red-yellow colour. The mix of these two colours is different for everyone. That is why some children have black hair, some have light brown hair, and some have red or yellow hair.

We get our hair colour from our mum and dad. This information is carried by tiny instructions in our body called genes. So your hair colour is a special gift passed down from your family.

As we get older, our body makes less melanin. That is why grandmas and grandpas have white hair. White hair has no melanin left in it at all.