What is Phaeomelanin?

Phaeomelanin is the pigment that makes things look red or orange, like your favorite candy or a flamingo’s feathers.

Imagine you have two types of paint, one is phaeomelanin, and the other is something called eumelanin. Eumelanin is more like black or brown paint, the kind you use to color a tree trunk or a dog's fur. But phaeomelanin? That’s the fun one, it’s like the bright red or orange paint that makes your favorite fruit look so juicy and tasty.

When you see something red, orange, or even yellow, it might be because of phaeomelanin working hard inside. For example, your hair could have a bit of this special pigment if it’s a reddish color, just like when you mix red paint with white paint to make pink.

So next time you bite into a sweet strawberry or see a pretty flamingo, remember: it's phaeomelanin making those colors pop!