Melanin is a pigment that is found in both the skin and hair. The different colors that are present in humans are due to different levels and types of melanin. Usually, people whose ancestors came from areas where there is a lot of sunlight have darker skin. This is because melanin helps...
Often, pregnancy can release hormones that can result in pigmentation changes in the skin. The most common instance of this is a type of melasma called chloasma, which is believed to be linked to changes in estrogen levels.5Chloasma makes melanin in the skin more likely to react to sun expo...
Melanoma is a rare and very aggressive form of skin cancer that forms in the melanocytes. These are the cells that produce your pigment, which is calledmelanin. But the majority of skin cancers are nonmelanoma, meaning they do not involve the melanocytes. The two most common of these are ba...
The integumentary system has a layer called the dermis. What specific type of tissue makes up the dermis? Why is it well suited for the job it performs as a part of the integumentary system? What is the main function of hair on our skin?
Melanoma is a type of skin cancer. It forms in cells called melanin that make skin color. Melanoma may appear as a new mole, or in moles you already have. Melanoma can form in the skin, eyes, nose, or throat.What increases my risk for melanoma?
Skin cells called melanocytes make the pigment in your skin called melanin. These melanocytes can be destroyed if you have vitiligo. Its exact cause hasn’t been determined, but researchers say vitiligo may be an autoimmune disorder. You can get vitiligo on your lower lip. It starts as a ...
Melasma, also called chloasma, is a skin condition with darks spots on the face, upper lip and mustache area. It is caused by an excess of the skin pigment melanin that appears on the cheeks, forehead, chest, back, and upper lip. This frustrating skin condition can be seen in men and...
How Does Melanin Affect Skin Color? Before we can find out why we have different skin colors, we must first understand the basic science behind our skin. First of all, there is no such thing as “black”, “white”, “red” or “yellow” in terms of skin color. There are simply mix...
Vitiligo, pronounced vit-uh-LIE- go, is condition in which the skin turns white due to the loss of melanocytes. These cells produce melanin, the pigment that gives the skin its characteristic color. (Melanocytes also impart color to the retina of the eye and the mucous membrane tissues linin...
We identified genes differentially expressed between skin patches, including those that are involved in melanin synthesis (e.g. mlana, pmel, tyrp1 ), iridophore development (e.g. paics, ppat, ak1 ), pteridine synthesis (e.g. gch1, pax3-a, xdh ), and carotenoid ...