Which statement correctly identifies the pigment type that produces brown to black hair color?

Which statement correctly identifies the pigment type that produces brown to black hair color?

• A. Pheomelanin
• B. Eumelanin
• C. Tyrosine pigment
• D. Melanin

Answer: (B)

Hair color comes from pigment produced in the hair follicle by melanocytes. There are two main forms of this pigment: eumelanin and pheomelanin. Eumelanin is the dark form and is responsible for brown and black shades—more eumelanin means darker hair, while less results in lighter brown. Pheomelanin produces red to yellow tones, which can contribute to blonde or red hues when present in higher relative amounts. Tyrosine is an amino acid that serves as a building block in the melanin synthesis pathway, not a pigment itself. Melanin is the general pigment family that includes both eumelanin and pheomelanin, but the pigment that specifically yields brown to black hair is eumelanin.

Hair color comes from pigment produced in the hair follicle by melanocytes. There are two main forms of this pigment: eumelanin and pheomelanin. Eumelanin is the dark form and is responsible for brown and black shades—more eumelanin means darker hair, while less results in lighter brown. Pheomelanin produces red to yellow tones, which can contribute to blonde or red hues when present in higher relative amounts. Tyrosine is an amino acid that serves as a building block in the melanin synthesis pathway, not a pigment itself. Melanin is the general pigment family that includes both eumelanin and pheomelanin, but the pigment that specifically yields brown to black hair is eumelanin.