Your hair color depends on a pigment called melanin (MEL-uh-nin). There are two kinds of melanin: pheomelanin (fee-eh-MEL-uh-nin) and eumelanin (yoo-MEL-uh-nin). People with more eumelanin pigment have darker hair, like brown or black. People with more pheomelanin pigment have lighter hair, like blonde or red.

Your genes carry the information that determines the amount of melanin pigment you have. Red hair is caused by gene mutations (changes) that cause a person to have more pheomelanin pigment.

In addition to red hair, people with the mutation often have light-colored skin and freckles.

From the color of their hair to the number of freckles on their nose, every person is fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God (Psalm 139:14; Genesis 1:27).