[chicken94]

I know lemon is a reducing agent, and somehow breaks bonds in the melanin in hair. But how does this process work?

Like, hydrogen peroxide releases oxygen (its an oxidizer) to break the bonds in melanin.
So how would a reducing agent like lemon juice break these bonds??
 

can you guys please answer asap, my assignments due really soon!
thanks

[kizzler85]

Pigments are generally acid/bases and change color when they are reacted to form their conjugate system. For example: Bleach will form NaOH and react with most pigments in your clothes and ruin them. Like when the person using the washer before you decides to bleach all their white T-shirts and the residual bleach destroys your favorite khakis!

[Borek]

Pigments are generally acid/bases and change color when they are reacted to form their conjugate system.

Overgeneralization. Many are, but many are not, and change of color when pH changes is less common than you suggest.

For example: Bleach will form NaOH and react with most pigments in your clothes and ruin them. Like when the person using the washer before you decides to bleach all their white T-shirts and the residual bleach destroys your favorite khakis!

This is not acid base reaction, chlorine attacks chromophores and destroys them easily.

[kizzler85]

Yeah thats right! Then the melanin wouldnt have that addition reaction it would be dehydrated and subsequent rearrangements would destroy the chromophore.