What Color is Albinism Hair?
Albinism hair color varies greatly. While often associated with white or very light blonde hair, the reality is far more nuanced. The amount of melanin, the pigment responsible for hair color, is significantly reduced in individuals with albinism, but not always absent.
The actual hair color depends on several factors including the type of albinism, individual genetics, and ethnicity.
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Very White to Brown: Hair color can range from extremely light, almost white, to shades of brown. This broad spectrum is supported by numerous sources. Mayo Clinic states that hair color "can range from very white to brown." The NHS (https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/albinism/) similarly notes that people with albinism often have "white or very light blonde hair, although some have brown or red hair."
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Ethnic Variations: Individuals of African or Asian descent with albinism may present with yellow, red, or brown hair. Medical News Today highlights this, indicating that those of African or Asian descent "tend to have yellow, brown, or reddish hair." This is also emphasized in the NPR article discussing people of color with albinism (https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2015/12/07/457147952/people-of-color-with-albinism-ask-where-do-i-belong).
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Age-Related Changes: Hair color can even change over time. In some cases, hair may darken gradually as the individual ages. This is observed across different sources.
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Specific Albinism Types: Different types of albinism can also influence hair color. For example, OCA4 albinism often results in newborns having some pigment in their hair, ranging from silvery white to light yellow, and the color may darken over time (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK1510/).
In summary, while often perceived as always white, albinism hair color demonstrates significant variability depending on various factors.
