All natural hair color is the result of pigment called what?

• A. Keratin
• B. Melatonin
• C. Melanin
• D. Carotene

Answer: (C)

Melanin is the pigment that gives all natural hair color. It’s produced by specialized cells called melanocytes in the hair follicle and then deposited into the hair shaft as it grows. The amount and type of melanin determine the shade: eumelanin creates brown to black tones, while pheomelanin yields red to yellow tones, with the final color arising from their mix and concentration. Keratin is the structural protein that forms hair, not pigment, and melatonin is a hormone, not pigment. Carotene can cause a slight yellowish tint in very light hair, but it does not define natural color—melanin does.