What are the two types of melanin mentioned?

• A. Red brown and Brown black
• B. Pheomelanin and Eumelanin
• C. Brown and Beige
• D. Black and White

Answer: (A)

Melanin exists in two chemical forms that determine color and protective properties. Eumelanin gives the brown to black shades, making hair and skin appear darker and providing strong protection against UV radiation. Pheomelanin, on the other hand, produces red to yellow hues and offers less UV protection, which is why lighter, red, or blonde tones often have less eumelanin.

The overall appearance of skin and hair reflects the amount and mix of these two forms in the pigment-producing cells (melanocytes) and how those pigments are distributed to surrounding skin cells. So when we talk about the two types of melanin, we’re referring to eumelanin and pheomelanin, with their characteristic color ranges: brown/black for eumelanin and red/yellow for pheomelanin. Descriptions like red brown or brown black describe the resulting colors you see, but the true molecular types are eumelanin and pheomelanin.