Question: What makes our hair coloured and why do some people get grey or white hair?

Sarah-Jane Walsh answered on 26 Jun 2013:

The same thing that gives your eyes and skin colour… Melanin! More melanin makes your hair darker and less lighter, the pigment colour also varies and is inherited from your parents and grandparents. Eumelanin is brown and black and Pheomelanin is yellow and orange, the combinations of these give different shades.

When hair turns grey it is usually due to aging and called Achromotrichia. The roots of the hair follicle stop producing melanin and because the hair is produced clear, the reflection of light within the hair strand makes it appear white or grey.

Sometimes the sun can also make our hair change colour. This is because the UV radiation causes protein damage and breaks down the melanin in your hair causing the color to fade. So although some people may like the blond sun look, its actually just damaged hair!