The natural color of hair depends on many different factors, in particular, on the pigment melanin, which is responsible for the intensity and saturation of the shade. In addition, the production of a dye by melanocytes is of great importance.
Hair pigmentation depends on eumelanin and pheomelanin. The latter gives yellow-red hues. Eumelanin is responsible for black and brown tones. It is thanks to the combination of these two pigments that the entire gamut of shades arises. However, it is worth noting that they are unevenly distributed.
Properties of melanin
Melanin is responsible for hair pigmentation. Dark tones of the lock are present in people in whom eumelanin predominates. Redheads are carriers of pheomelanin. The more it is in the structure of the hair, the brighter the red color will be.
Owners of blond hair have a minimal amount of melanin. It is because of this feature that blondes have pale skin and are prone to the frequent appearance of vascular networks.
Varieties of pigment
There are two types of hair pigmentation, on which theirmain color. The first type has a dark brown, almost black tint. This pigment is responsible for color saturation, that is, for dark and light tone. It's eumelanin.
Besides this, there is pheomelanin. This type of pigment under a microscope looks like a ball, on which thin plates can be distinguished. He is responsible for light blond and red hair.
What affects the shade
There are certain factors that affect pigments, and hence there are quite a few shades of hair. Among the main causes of hair pigmentation are the following:
- state and functioning of the endocrine system;
- genetic predisposition;
- age-related changes;
- some diseases.
Color largely depends on the shade of the parents, as well as on the state of the organs that directly affect the production of melanin. With age, the functioning of the cells responsible for the synthesis of pigments gradually slows down, as a result of which the hair loses its pigment, and gray hair forms.
Sometimes, due to certain diseases, disturbances in the production of melanin appear in the body, as a result of which the hair all over the body becomes completely colorless.
Repigmentation
This is a special cosmetic procedure, the essence of which is to saturate with a pigment close to natural. A similar technique is used if the hair, for certain reasons, has lost its natural coloring effect.substance.
As a result of such a procedure, hair pigmentation returns, but the color becomes darker or vice versa. Repigmentation should be performed if you need to dye bleached or lightened strands in darker tones.
The fact is that after the bleaching procedure, the natural color is washed out of the hair and only a persistent yellow color remains. In this case, the structure of the hair becomes fragile and porous. For this reason, the particles of the applied paint cannot fully gain a foothold inside the strand and are quickly washed out. In addition, when dyeing bleached hair in dark blond and black, they can simply turn green. This happens due to the mixing of yellow pigment and blue, which is present in the chemical dye. Thanks to the preliminary pigmentation of the hair before dyeing, such consequences can be avoided. This procedure must be carried out if it is required to perform:
- thin highlighting instead of wide;
- ombre coloring;
- give an even color instead of highlighting.
The process of hair pigmentation is that initially they need to be treated with a special composition that contains a combination of pigments. After that, an ammonia dye mixed with an oxidant can be applied. The ammonia contained in the dye interacts with hydrogen peroxide, slightly lifting the scales of the hairs and allowing the dye to penetrate much deeper into their structure.
Thus, inside the strandartificial pigment particles get in, giving the curls the desired shade and providing a stable result. Methods for performing pigmentation of hair on the head largely depend on the type of coloring composition that is used by the master. To do this, use one of three types of chemical compositions, namely:
- semi-permanent;
- permanent;
- physical hair dyes.
The choice of them largely depends on the preferences of the stylist and the technical recommendations of the manufacturer. When choosing a color, you need to focus on what you ultimately need to achieve the depth of tone. When applying a coloring composition, it is important to consider the degree of damage and porosity of the hair.
Prepigmentation of gray hair
Some stylists use this term to mean the saturation of gray hair with coloring pigments, which are difficult to dye. For this, golden and natural shades are used.
You need to use paint that is one tone lighter than the desired shade. Those hair that are difficult to color should be treated with paint without an oxidizing agent. Keep the composition for pre-pigmentation for 10-15 minutes. Do not rinse this mixture, but only comb out with a comb. At the next stage, you need to apply paint to the hair of the tone that you want to get in the end. An oxidizing agent must be added to the paint.
Age-related changes in hair color
For most people, hair color becomes permanent by the age of 5-6 years. But sometimes it happens much later, around the time of puberty. And after 20 yearshair color changes. They begin to lose their pigmentation and gradually turn gray.
The main reasons for the appearance of gray hair are considered to be the cessation of melanin production and the formation of many air bubbles. Initially, the hair roots lose the pigment. The strands first turn gray, and then finally turn white.
Early appearance of gray hair is provoked by: genetic predisposition, stress and past illnesses. To stop the graying process, many use mesotherapy. To do this, preparations containing a large amount of vitamin B are injected into the scalp.
Children's hair color changes
Hair pigmentation in a child can occur at different ages. The shade will largely depend on the genes of the parents and distant relatives of the baby.
In fair-haired children in the first year of life, curls do not differ in density. Do not worry about this, as the formation of the hairline will continue for 5 years. The density of the hair is not related to the frequency of haircuts. The only thing they contribute to is the coarsening of the hairline.
Often in the first five years, the child's hair darkens. Doctors say that this can occur due to a change in the distribution of melanin pigment in the body. Sometimes it happens that dark babies begin to lighten, and this happens due to a decrease in eumelanin.
Early appearance of gray hair
Early gray hair - loss of hair pigment in people under 25years. The occurrence of such a problem may indicate various pathologies occurring in the human body. In addition, early gray hair at a young age may appear for hereditary reasons. Loss of hair pigmentation depends on the disruption of some organs and systems and the appearance of diseases such as:
- anemia;
- vitiligo;
- thyroid disorders;
- gastrointestinal problems;
- neurological disorders;
- vascular diseases of the brain.
Anemia develops when there is a loss or insufficient production of blood cells. Vitiligo is a specific disease that cannot be treated. As a result of this disease, the skin and hair lose their pigment, white spots appear on the limbs and body.
At the background of severe stress or fear, the hormone adrenaline is released into the bloodstream. It breaks the relationship between the pigment and the protein of the hair shaft. There is a complete removal of melanin.
Early gray hair can appear with drug treatment. Some medications block the production of melanin.
Diseases affecting pigmentation
Impaired hair pigmentation can occur as a result of certain diseases, which include:
- vitiligo;
- albinism;
- Werner syndrome.
As a result of vitiligo, hair and skin color can be lost. Albinism is a genetic pathology. It is characterized by a lack of pigment in the skin, hair and eyes. ATmostly albinos have very pale skin, white hair, gray or even reddish eyes. Werner syndrome can also lead to premature graying.
During depilation or epilation, pigmentation from ingrown hairs may appear. Be sure to know why this problem occurs and how you can deal with it. Hair often grows in due to improper preparation for depilation. You can get rid of pigmentation with bodyagi, salicylic and ichthyol ointment. In addition, it is imperative to remove ingrown hairs, as they can lead to inflammatory processes. The body struggles with a foreign body, which is why pus accumulates in the affected area. After opening a purulent neoplasm, scars may remain on the skin.
