To have a reddish beard is nothing worth puzzling. This is a common phenomenon among many guys who have absolutely no idea about the reason and they keep questioning- why is my beard turning red? Breaking in simple terms, it matters with the genetic mutation or dominant genes inherited by your forefathers resulting in a reddish-brown beard.
If your forefathers rocked with the red beard gene, probably you will end up having it too. But the other possibility to grow red facial hair is when the melanocortin 1 receptor genes (MC1R) are mutated.
This mutation can occur mainly either by chemical instability during DNA replication or natural exposure to sunlight or certain environmental conditions.
How the red facial hair is produced?
It is utmost important to understand a few key terminologies before going into debate that will not only aid in simplify the red hair growth procedure but will also assist in answering the typical question.
- MC1R (a gene that gets mutated)
- Eumelanin (responsible for the darker colors)
- Pheomelanin (responsible for the lighter colors).
When MC1R (melanocortin 1 receptor) is un-mutated, males have black or brown beard hair. But when MC1R is mutated, it changes the level of composition between eumelanin and pheomelanin that decides hair color.
To achieve red hair follicle caused by MC1R mutation, eumelanin, a factor that creates dark hair color, should be in lesser level in the composition with pheomelanin, a factor which produces light hair follicle color.
But the genetic mutation further deepens down to two sub-divisions. A body can have two MC1R genes inherited from parents. If one MC1R gene is mutated, few body parts will adopt red hair color. But if a person will have two MC1R mutated genes, then he will probably have red hairs at all body parts wherever they grow.
To generalize it in simple terms, if a man has black or brown hair on the head but red beard color, he will have apparently lesser eumelanin in composition. But like the Irish people, if males have completely red facial hair then they will surely have two mutated MC1R genes.
Related post- Can i use hair dye on my beard?
Can I have multi-colored beards besides red beards?
It is possible to have multi-colored beards. One possibility is that if your parents transfer both the light (pheomelanin) and the darker color (eumelanin) pigments, then a male can have different beard shades.
The other factor that can create different beard shades is the ultra-violet (UV) rays of sunlight. These rays are proven harmful to the hair color. The longer exposure to sunlight may destroy the hair pigment resulting in greybeards or blonde.
How to get rid of red beards?
While red beard color, for some guys, has been an ideal personality trait, some people, on the contrary, just cannot get along with this phenomenon and start searching for ways to get rid of red beards.
There are some tips to help the concerned people achieve their goal-
- Getting the beard shaved regularly might work out. But this method will neither have a red color beard nor will it have any hair left on the face. Due to this reason alone, the idea totally receives rotten tomatoes from those who wish to have a beard without red color.
- The second and the most common option left for males are using ideal beard dye for red beards. Since men have come to conclusion about the impossibility of change in red beard genetics, they turn their focus in dyeing their beard with darker colors like rich dark brown or a touch of gray for a richer look.
Are red-colored beards attractive?
Want to feel the joy of being exquisite, memorable, and stand out from the crowd wherever you go? Then you must refrain from asking- why is my beard turning red? If you look at the other side of the coin, you will find it a blessing in disguise as it has various appearance advantages.
The following illustrates some key aspects related to red color and the advantages one might acquire from having red hairs in the beard.
- Considering red color associated with visibility, a person with red facial hair might become the center of attraction, urging people to give you the attention you deserve.
- As red color represents the symbolism of courage, passion, and heat, lying within the color will modify the person’s personality as an extrovert and outspoken.
- Men having red beard color might experience strong relationships with their partner, business colleagues as the red color might enhance a person’s confidence.
Why my red beard hairs turn grey or white?
Change in beard hair color to gray or white does not imply that the genetics is also altered. The turning of the red beard hair into white or grey occurs when the hair follicle stops producing the hair pigment necessary to provide hair its natural color.
Conclusion
Ancestral genes and the genetic mutation in MC1R is the sum-up answer to the question- why is my beard turning red? Having red facial hair motivates a person’s personality by placing him at the center of attraction, build up confidence within, and play significant roles in one’s social aspects.
This mutation is not a medical concern. However, at some point, if you decide to get away from this color then a right beard dye for red beards could be the perfect and safe option for you.
No matter what beard color you have if the hair follicle stops producing the pigment, the beard color will turn to gray or white eventually. You can read more about it from here if you want.
If you have any questions regarding beard color facts, feel free to leave a comment below. I will appreciate that. Stay safe, thank you.