noun
- A reddish-yellow or brownish pigment produced in the skin and hair, responsible for red and blonde coloration in humans and animals.
Usage: technical; biochemistry
Examples
- Pheomelanin gives red hair its distinctive warm color.
- People with high levels of pheomelanin often have fair skin and freckles.
- The ratio of pheomelanin to eumelanin determines hair color variation.
- Pheomelanin is less efficient at protecting skin from UV radiation than eumelanin.
- Redheads typically have more pheomelanin and less eumelanin in their hair follicles.