How did different skin colors develop?
Differences in skin color among individuals is caused by variation in pigmentation, which is the result of genetics (inherited from one’s biological parents), the exposure to the sun, or both.
What are the factors that determine skin color?
Skin color is determined mainly by the amount and distribution of melanin, a pigmented polymer produced by melanocytes. Hyperpigmentation is almost always the result of either production of too much melanin or abnormal distribution of pigment, although heavy metals or drug metabolites can change skin color.
Why is my body different colors?
Your skin gets its color from a pigment called melanin. If your body makes too much melanin, your skin gets darker. Pregnancy, Addison’s disease, and sun exposure all can make your skin darker. If your body makes too little melanin, your skin gets lighter.
Why is it that variations in skin color are considered to be adaptive?
Variations in human skin color are adaptive traits that correlate closely with geography and the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Since strong sun exposure damages the body, the solution was to evolve skin that was permanently dark so as to protect against the sun’s more damaging rays.
Why is my skin so many different shades?
An uneven skin tone, called hyperpigmentation, is irregular darkening of the skin. The cause: overproduction of melanin, the pigment responsible for skin and hair color. The resulting dark patches and spots are typically perceived as “aged skin” and can make you look more than 12 years older.
Why is my body not the same color?
We may wish for perfectly smooth, even skin, but many of us have uneven skin tones. This may take the form of redness, acne scars, age spots, or sun damage, which can cause blemishes or patches of color on the skin. Uneven skin can be temporary or permanent, and it may result from: sun exposure.
What are 3 physiological factors that affect skin color?
The color of skin is influenced by a number of pigments, including melanin, carotene, and hemoglobin. Recall that melanin is produced by cells called melanocytes, which are found scattered throughout the stratum basale of the epidermis.
What causes the differences in skin color?
Differences in skin color are also attributed to differences in size and distribution of melanosomes in the skin. Melanocytes produce two types of melanin. The most common form of biological melanin is eumelanin, a brown-black polymer of dihydroxyindole carboxylic acids, and their reduced forms.
What are the differences between black skin and white skin?
As black skin is thicker than white skins it is prone to congestion and comedones. Black skin generally ages at a much slower rate than white skin, mainly due to the extra protection afforded by the melanin.
Why is my black skin turning grey?
The increased thickness of the horny layer of the skin in black skins can cause dehydration which leads to increased skin shedding. This can create a grey ‘ashen’ effect as the loose cells build up on the skin. Dermatosis papulosa nigra (DPN) is a benign cutaneous condition that is common in black skins.
Do all ethnic skin types produce the same amount of melanin?
All ethnic skin types vary in the degree of melanin they produce. Although all ethnic skin types have the same number of melanocytes cells, black skins have melanocytes capable of making large amounts of melanin. As black skin is thicker than white skins it is prone to congestion and comedones.