A striking appearance can be the beginning of a medical investigation, but it is not a diagnosis in itself.
Understanding the Science Behind Snow-White Hair
To understand how a child can be born with white hair, it helps to look at the role of melanin.
During normal hair development, pigment-producing cells called melanocytes contribute melanin to growing hair. Different combinations and amounts of pigment create the wide range of natural hair colors found in human populations.
When melanin production is greatly reduced or absent in the hair, the strands can appear very pale or white.
In people with albinism, genetic changes affect the biological processes involved in producing melanin. The condition is inherited, and different forms can affect pigmentation to different degrees. Some forms also affect the eyes and vision.
Albinism is not contagious, and it is not caused by something a parent did or failed to do during pregnancy. It is a genetic condition.
