Why is my chin hair turning red?
Often you may find that if you have some red hairs somewhere in your beard is because of both genetics and amount of pigmentation. An excess of pheomelanin can contribute to those random red hairs. Somewhere down the line in your family lineage, these genes were there and resurfaced from some distant ancestor.
If you are finding stray red hairs in your black beard, then don't worry. It is entirely natural. You are finding red hairs in your beard because a recessive gene in your body resurfaced recently. This gene triggers a mutation in your body that changes the pigmentation in some of your hair.
The genetic link
A gene called MC1R plays a role in whether someone will have red hair. People who have certain variants in this gene are more likely to have red hair because they have higher levels of pheomelanin.
First and foremost, the real reason why redhead and non-redhead men may have red in their beards is because of genetics, they have the MC1R redhead gene. For the non-redhead men, red hair is a recessive gene, which means you can carry the gene without having red hair yourself.
For example, many men have beards that are a completely different color than the rest of their hair. That is because the hair follicles on your body have different colors and textures in them. Some hair follicles on your body produce a darker color than others.
One gene in particular, MC1R, plays a crucial role in giving people red hair, she noted. When a person has a ginger beard that doesn't match the colour of their hair, it's because they have a mutated version of the MC1R gene.
Melanin is produced in response to UVA (sunlight), and as with skin that darkens to protect itself from the sun, beard hair will turn a lighter shade, even red.
Bright Red Hair Follicles
When the body is deficient in vitamin C, these small blood vessels become fragile and break easily, causing small, bright red spots to appear around the hair follicles.
Red hair is the result of a genetic variant that causes the body's skin cells and hair cells to produce more of one particular type of melanin and less of another. Most redheads have a gene mutation in the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R).
The rarest natural hair colour is red, which makes up only one to two percent of the global population.
Why is my beard brown and ginger?
A Genetic Mutation
Generally, those with a ginger beard and brown or black hairs, have a single mutated version of the MC1R gene. One mutated gene in an organism normally interacts in random places like the beard, for example.
The chin hairs are sometimes a normal part of aging after menopause. However, they can also indicate an underlying condition causing hormonal imbalances. Anyone concerned about chin hair growth should talk to a doctor or dermatologist about potential treatment options.
Occasional chin hair can be caused by changing hormones, aging, and genetics. But if it's more than just a few hairs that are coarser than others, or there's a sudden increase in facial hair, it's time to see a doctor. The discovery of the odd hair on your chin is perfectly normal and usually not a cause for concern.
The cycle of ripping a hair out, growing it back and ripping it out again can darken the skin around it, but once the hair is gone forever, that skin has a chance to lighten. Shaving and depilatories only cut hair down to the skin's surface.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common hormone problem in females of reproductive age. One of the common symptoms of PCOS is excessive growth of dark or coarse hair on the face, chest, or back in a male-like pattern. Therefore, in plain terms, PCOS facial hair is the excessive growth of facial hair.
Most females have vellus hair on the face, but some may have more terminal chin hair. This can be due to genetics or age. Menopause can trigger more chin, neck, or facial hair. Research shows different racial groups can have different levels of androgen and resulting body and facial hair.
“Plucking or tweezing is not the preferred method of hair removal as recommended by dermatologists,” Dr. Lertzman said. “There are other techniques – both at-home and in a dermatologist's office – that are safe and effective when it comes to removing unwanted hair from the face.”
The Science Behind Red Beards
A mutation in the inherited MC1R gene causes a red beard. Two mutated MC1R genes produce red hair all over. A singular mutated MC1R gene causes partial red hair. This creates reddish hues in unpredictable places like the chin or sideburns.
Genetic variation in melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) is a known contributor to disease-free red hair in humans.
- extreme tiredness (fatigue)
- lack of energy (lethargy)
- breathlessness.
- feeling faint.
- headaches.
- pale skin.
- noticeable heartbeats (palpitations)
- hearing sounds coming from inside the body, rather than from an outside source (tinnitus)
Is red hair linked to ADHD?
Other Sacharov redlines: "The connection between red hair and a fiery temperament may be more than just an old wives' tale. An Israeli psychiatrist reported that redheaded children are three to four times more likely than others to develop hyperactivity.
Redheads have genes to thank for their tresses. Research shows red hair usually results from a mutation in a gene called MC1R, which codes for the melanocortin-1 receptor. The pigment found in redhair that makes it red is called pheomelanin.
According to an article by evolutionary biology professor Mark Elgar, PhD, of the University of Melbourne, blue-eyed redheads are the absolute rarest, with 0.17% of the population having that combination of hair and eye color.
#BLONDE! The contest for the most attractive hair colour is obviously won by the blonde color with 35% of the overall vote, followed by the brunette. The bronze goes to Pippi Longstocking (people 30 and above will understand 👩 ). And the fourth place is for black hair colour.
Red hair and green eye genes are simply not as common in populations as other hair and eye colors. One study found that the red hair-green eyes genetic combination is one of the rarest, at -0.14 correlation. Having red hair and blue eyes is even rarer.
Having red hair and blue eyes is the rarest hair/eye color combination possible. The odds of a person having both of those recessive traits is around 0.17%. Instead, most redheads have brown, hazel or green eyes, according to Medical Daily.
Since your genes never change, your hair color will never actually change to gray or white. The hair follicles instead just simply stop producing pigment. You can still be a redhead even if you don't have red hair on top of your head any longer because genetically you haven't changed.
The red hair itself is caused by a mutation in what researchers call the MC1R gene. Having two mutated genes gives someone all red hair, but having just one can give a person red hair in unexpected places.
Prolonged sun exposure over time can lighten the natural pigment of your hair, resulting in different shades of blonde hair, red hair, or even orange hair. This occurs because ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun damage melanin pigment, which gives each strand of hair its unique hue.
"Genes are expressed variably and can be influenced by other genes, so a carrier of the MCR-1 gene may not have red hair on their head, but could have variable expression of the gene causing a red beard," Dr Varol said. In fact the difference in colour of hair, or even the eyes and skin, has a term: heterochromia.
Do I have the ginger gene?
Don't know if you have the ginger gene? If you're a redhead, you definitely have the gene, and you will always pass this gene on to your children. Also, if someone in your direct bloodline has red hair, you will also carry the ginger gene, but won't necessarily be a redhead (see table below).
Men with ginger beards don't necessarily have ginger hair, and it's thanks to chromosome 4. Beard hair is quite different to head hair; it is coarser, curlier and doesn't fall out as we get older.
During menopause, a woman's body stops circulating estrogen but continues to circulate the same amounts of testosterone. The imbalance of hormones causes the appearance of some male secondary sex characteristics, like coarse facial hair. You should let your doctor know if your facial and body hairs are growing quickly.
Thyroid Imbalance:
Some women's body make a high level of androgen which causes skin and facial hair. When the levels of male hormones increase in women, it causes problems like facial and skin hair problems, obesity, PCOS, and irregular menstrual cycles. It may also lead to the condition of hirsutism.
This hair growth, called hypertrichosis, can be caused by thyroid problems or by anorexia nervosa. It also can result from long-term use of certain oral medications, including cyclosporin (Neoral, Sandimmune, SangCya), phenytoin (Dilantin), minoxidil (Loniten), and penicillamine (Cuprimine, Depen).
It's not uncommon to see an increase in facial hair around the time of menopause because the ratio of testosterone to estrogen in your body will begin to change during this time.
Vitamin E: Vitamin E is not only great for skin and hair, it's great to inhibit the growth of facial hair too. Vitamin E can counter the effect of androgens and reduce testosterone levels in the body. Vitamin E can regulate the production of androgens which in turn reduces the effect of testosterone.
Common symptoms of PCOS include: irregular periods or no periods at all. difficulty getting pregnant (because of irregular ovulation or no ovulation) excessive hair growth (hirsutism) – usually on the face, chest, back or buttocks.
Try a Topical Medication
Eflornithine (aka Vaniqa) is an FDA-approved topical medication that slows the growth of unwanted facial hair. It's available by prescription and must be used regularly to be effective. As with other prescription medications, speak with your doctor about side effects before taking eflornithine.
Does removing facial hair make it worse? Neither waxing nor shaving will cause more hair to grow. In fact, waxing may eventually reduce hair growth in certain areas. Conversely, excessive plucking with tweezers may stimulate new hair growth, which can cause some areas to see denser patches of unwanted hair.
How do you get rid of chin hair permanently?
Permanent methods
Laser hair removal is a long-term but not a permanent method for hair removal. If a person wants to remove their facial hair permanently, they can try electrolysis. Electrolysis destroys the growth of the hair at the base of the hair follicle, which means the hair is unable to grow back.
The presence of red hair scattered around means that you do, in fact, have the red hair gene. Brown is a dominant allele which is why your hair is predominately brown but someone in your family (immediate or distant) has red hair, or at least the red hair gene.
Guys with low levels of brown eumelanin and high levels of yellow pheomelanin end up with blonde hair. Different combinations in each follicle yield different hair colors, which explains those random red hairs and dark patches. Besides natural pigment, stress and malnutrition can change your hair color.
Why Is My Beard Turning Gray? Genetics are usually the reason why you have gray hairs in your beard. Just as your genetics determine your hair type, it also determines when your hair begins to gray. Hair turns gray because your follicles stop producing pigment cells or melanocytes.
What is brassy brown hair? You may be wondering, why have these orange and red hues appeared in my hair? These brassy tones appear whenever you lighten brown locks – whether it be from balayage or blonde highlights. The bleaching agent removes the melanin in your hair, exposing the orange undertones underneath.
There are different types of melanin proteins, eumelanin (determines darkness) and pheomelanin (determines level of warm tones.) People with higher levels of pheomelanin will naturally have a warm golden or red tint to their hair.
UVB and UVA rays are the biggest reasons why black hair turns brown. If your locks are constantly exposed to sunlight, it will cause decolourization in the melanin elements and make the hair strands appear brown. Like you would apply sunscreen on your skin, do the same for your hair.
It's a combination of genetic and non-genetic factors. Unlike the genetics of head hair, which has been studied extensively, scientists don't yet fully understand the role of DNA in facial hair thickness. But in general, if your father or grandfather had thick beard hair, you're likely to have a thick beard also.
Inheritance of red hair
MC1R is a recessive gene. This means that two copies (one inherited from each parent) are required for the trait to be observed. In this case, two copies of the variant are required for the child to be a redhead.
Yep, red hair retains its natural pigmentation longer than black, brown or blond hair. Eventually it turns gray later in life, but it won't change as quickly as other colors do.
Why is my hair brown and beard ginger?
The follicle phenomenon — a colour difference between the scalp and beard hair — is not unusual, according to Dr Alexandra Varol from the Australian College of Dermatologists. She said variation in hair colour comes down to a person's genes. "[They] dictate the amount of melanin or pigment in the hair," Dr Varol said.
Anyone can pull off red hair. The trick is in choosing a shade that compliments your skin tone to give you a natural and perfectly pulled-together look. Here is what you need to know to make sure your hair color and skin tone work together in harmony.
Among white males, hair typically starts turning gray in the mid 30s, according to Tobin. In Asians, it begins in the late 30s, and in African-Americans, in the mid 40s. From then on, the chances of turning gray increase by 10 to 20% each decade.
The growth of chin hair in females is fairly common, but in some cases, it can be a sign of hormonal imbalances. Hirsutism is the medical term for female hair growth in places where men usually have hair. The growth of chin hair is an example of hirsutism.
Typically, white people start going gray in their mid-30s, Asians in their late 30s, and Blacks in their mid-40s. Half of all people have a significant amount of gray hair by the time they turn 50.
