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What is Melanin?

Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison

Also called pigment, melanin is a substance that gives the skin and hair its natural color. It also gives color to the iris of the eye, feathers, and scales. In humans, those with darker skin have higher amounts of melanin. By contrast, those with less pigment have lighter or more fair skin coloring.

Melanin, sometimes referred to as a chemical, is formed as part of the process of metabolizing an amino acid called tyrosine. In the skin, melanin is formed by cells called melanocytes. Certain medical conditions, such as albinism, are associated with the lack of melanin. Albinism is a condition marked by the absence of a normal amount of pigment in the body. Animals, humans, and even plants can have albinism.

A hand with an uneven distribution of melanin.
A hand with an uneven distribution of melanin.

Albinism exists in a number of variations. Depending on the type of albinism, the skin, hair, and eyes may all be affected. In fact, ocular albinism affects not only the color of the eyes, hair, and skin, but also results in poor vision. Additionally, some types of melanin deficiency are associated with increased mortality rates.

Melanin provides many benefits to human beings. One of the most recognized benefits involves ultraviolet rays of the sun. Melanin provides a natural protection against the harmful effects of these rays. However, it does not provide complete protection from the sun, and individuals with darker skin tones are still at risk from the sun's damaging rays.

Melanin is an important factor in internal temperature control for lizards.
Melanin is an important factor in internal temperature control for lizards.

Generally, those with darker skin tones and more melanin are able to tolerate exposure to the sun for hours without getting sunburn. By contrast, a person with lighter skin may get sunburn after spending only minutes in the midday sun. Skin cancer is directly related to exposure to the sun and the presence of less than optimal amounts of pigment. Sun exposure has even been linked with cataracts.

People with more melanin typically can tolerate sunshine without getting burned.
People with more melanin typically can tolerate sunshine without getting burned.

Melanin is also a mechanism for absorbing heat from the sun. This purposes is of particular importance to cold-blooded animals. Snakes, lizards, certain types of fish, and a wide range of other animals depend on their surroundings, including the rays of the sun, to establish and maintain their body temperatures.

Also important for sharpness of vision, melanin serves to minimalize the number of light beams that enter the eye. It also provides for the absorption of scattered light within the eye. In this way, pigmentation allows for more keen sight.

Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison

Nicole’s thirst for knowledge inspired her to become a TheHealthBoard writer, and she focuses primarily on topics such as homeschooling, parenting, health, science, and business. When not writing or spending time with her four children, Nicole enjoys reading, camping, and going to the beach.

Learn more...
Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison

Nicole’s thirst for knowledge inspired her to become a TheHealthBoard writer, and she focuses primarily on topics such as homeschooling, parenting, health, science, and business. When not writing or spending time with her four children, Nicole enjoys reading, camping, and going to the beach.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

anon339412

I have white spots in my lips, so I applied some medicine from a doctor but there was no change. Is there any other treatment?

anon331032

I just want to know how can I make my skin color lighter by reducing the melanin content or something else. Please give me some suggestions.

anon330728

All I want to know is how can I increase the melanin production in my skin? I recently started taking l-tyrosine and b12 vitamins every day. Will that help? Are there other ways as well?

anon293857

"I long for the day when a man will not be judged by the color of his skin but by the content of his character." How quickly we have forgotten these words of wisdom, if we ever knew them.

anon272498

For melanin to be produced, you need tyrosine, phenylalanine, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B6 (pyrodoxine), copper, and Vitamin B2 (riboflavin). All of them. The reaction won't happen if one is missing.

It is triggered by one hour of natural sunlight a day.

anon272348

Many opinions are discussed here from many individual viewpoints. Some of it is supported with evidence but much of it is not.

Scrutinise anything you read here and maintain your critical thinking.

Avoid getting caught up EGO games such as "X is better than Y, I have Y so I am better than you," etc.

anon271701

I actually accidentally came across a treatment for chemical addiction involving something called biphasic sleep and Ultra Violet A exposure. To protect my fair skin from the UVA, I used a drug called Afamelanotide to boost melanocyte production (a-MSH) which is melanin. So yes, there is something you can inject into the fat rolls around your belly button to increase pigment (melanin).

If you look at all the research it does appear that being too white (like Daniel Radcliffe white) is less than ideal for homeostasis. You are mutagenic D deficient (not Vitamin D - mutagenic D).

anon258403

Can't we all just get along? I am Indian American (Choctaw and Cherokee) mixed with Scottish, German and English. My skin tone is naturally dark, my hair is chestnut brown with a reddish hue and I have vitiligo. I have been reading and see that it is enzyme related - basically we are what we eat. We are all connected in the fact that we all were at once connected. Perhaps if we were careful about who we mated with, fewer mutations would be present. I am not saying blacks should not be with whites, etc. We are all related, some closer than others, and incest equals mutations (even in the fourth and fifth generations) -- catch my drift?

It has nothing to do with God's blessings or otherwise. We are all God's gifts and we must all learn to get along and love one another. None of us are more special than the next. We must be spiritually cleansed so we can overcome the hate. In my opinion, diet and mediation are a great idea, but generating hate is far from meditation. Stop pointing out our differences and understand that we are all linked, like it or not! Eat good, feel good – we are how we live.

Eye color, hair color, etc. is all based on breeding. Look it up. It will explain the regions of origin, etc. We are all attracted to what we have in common, not color or otherwise. Who cares what Jesus' color was? I think the message should be what he did, not what color he was. And isn't that the basis for all religion: who we are, where we come from, and what we can become?

anon243608

Some guys here are just wasting the time of those who seek medical advice on how to get rid of vitiligo, which is actually a problem that eats away one's self-esteem and causes a host of psychological problems. Some are talking of religion and blacks/whites. Shame on you all. Get over it and let people like us derive some benefit out of this.

@queries: I just started with b-complex, folic acid, paba, inositol, tyrosine, fish oil supplements. I haven't seen marked improvement in my condition, but have benefited psychologically and hope to be cured.

Don't waste time and all those suffering from this problem should start with this ASAP. There's no harm in taking these supplements and you never know -- we may get cured totally. Start today and thank me after some time. It may take a year but don't lose hope. Try it.

And yes, copper should be taken along with these.

anon240182

If you guys want more melanin, eat or juice fresh raw fruits and vegetables with a high amount of chlorophyll and preferably natural organic foods that have no chemicals, filter the chlorine fluoride and other chemicals out of the tap water and make sure you get lots of quality sleep in total darkness, the darker the better.

Stop eating processed crap like white flour, white sugar, white salt and greasy cooked foods and limit dead animals. Sunshine is the best way to produce melanin. So meditate, relax and stress less. If you are white and do these things you can produce enough melanin to have what some call olive skin tone (the real olive skin tone referred to in the bible is black because olives are either green or black).

Melanin does not make anyone better than anyone else, because we all are made up from the same stardust. It just means that the more melanin you have, the more potential you have to pull information from the universe and absorb frequencies.

anon223058

I am a high school student in MA. today in biology, I asked a question, "do blind people have a better chance to get a sunburn?" I asked this because the teacher read out of a book that wearing sunglasses can mean a better chance of a sunburn. now comes the reason why I'm posting this. Do they? Please write back or something! Thank you. -MA

anon218768

Celsun does not affect Melanin it is used to control crisis. You may need to talk to your GP again.

anon202580

If you're dark-skinned and you're experiencing loss of melanin and it's showing as white patches, then it's related to your diet. They currently use a chemical to bleach rice, flour, sugar, white corn, and other products, but the problem is that the chemical inhibits melanin biosynthesis. these same chemicals can be found in colas (in the corn syrup).

If you consume these foods, that chemical, which is still present in these bleached, processed foods, will inhibit melanin biosynthesis in you. The inhibition will begin to show as white spots on your skin. To reverse this, stop consuming white processed foods and increase your intake of dietary copper. If you like rice, eat dark brown or black rice (not white). Copper prevents the interruption of melanin synthesis and helps your body make new melanin. Also stay away from medications that block your body's ability to make melanin.

anon192679

You need to do a lot more research on melanin. I can tell you're white by how you talk about it. You're trying to make having dark skin or melanin not something to be proud of and make it sound like melanin isn't superior to your white skin. No matter how many negatives there are, if you look it up, there are way more positives. And look up the dogon tribe: melanin at its best!

anon180665

Is there any role of melenin in the development of kidney cancer?

anon178946

Tell your doctor. There's so many products to treat your problem. Your doctor is just seeing what works best for you, obviously that didn't. So go to your doctor and try something else, after all everyone is different.

anon177227

I am also a 15 year old male who has suffered from the same disease. many years have passed away, but still no change.

i am using the liquid medicine which should keep white patches from a black body should I be in sunlight for 10 minutes. it is one slow medicine, so i'm tired of using this method. Please give a quick and modern method which will bring light into my life.

anon168294

I am suffering from less melanin in my skin. my age is 25 years but i look like I'm 30 years old. Please help me.

anon158524

I can't believe I'm about to add a comment and discuss melanin, but melanin is produced from the melanocyte cells. white skin and black skin have the same amount of melanocytes -- they are just larger and spread singularly in black skin and smaller and in clusters in white skin.

Taking things won't help to increase melanin. The sun will give you a tan but it won't make your hair darker, neither will taking things. the sun will make it grow faster though, but it causes premature aging. you don't want to be all wrinkly when you're 40!

anon153743

melanin is increased by tyrosine. tyrosine is converted from the amino acid phenylalanine. if you want more tyrosine and thus melanin. either eat more protein, or take an L-tyrosine supplement. and melanin will do absolutely nothing for you, except give you darker pigment in your hair/skin. But that's it!

anon110436

Is it true melanin helps vitiligo? I've had it for years and doctors didn't do anything for me. now it's spreading. Is there help?

anon103630

why do black humans get melanoma on the soles of their feet? Isn't melanoma supposed to occur on the skin exposed to the sun?

anon101855

if an increase in melanin causes dark patches on the face. if you were to increase it more, could it possibly even it out?

anon101360

drink plenty of water every day!

anon95354

Is there any way to increase the melanin production in hair so it turns darker naturally? Or is there any other way to make it darken without dying it? --Johan

anon94952

There's product that science has come up with that was talked about on MSN health a few days ago. It's a gel that stimulates melanin called MHS melanin hormone stimulant. Putting the gel on a tooth with a cavity gets rid of the cavity and grows the tooth back in that area. It was only news for one day. They don't want you to know you can grow your own teeth back if your body's working right.

anon93389

To actually increase melanin production in skin while in sun use: Absolutely natural (natural tone) platinum oil. Its amazing! Just remember to use suncream with it.

anon86692

i know, that when white people go to (for example) africa, their skin adapts to the amount of sun rays and their organism produces more melanin, but i was wondering what happens to the black people when they go to (for example) scandinavia?

anon86014

For the record, black people have so much melanin because of how their ancestry evolved in Africa. Since it has so much bloody sun, their skin had to adapt to the rays. Scandinavian (white) people have so little melanin because they evolved in a region where there is much less sun and heat. Their skin didn't have to adapt to harmful sun, not nearly as much as far south although I don't believe heat has an effect.

anon83484

anon: If you had done your research on melanin, you would know that the properties that It holds, goes a lot deeper than just protecting one from the sun.

Melanin absorbs energy, all types of energy. Which means it also holds the energy of our forefathers. Which within itself means it holds information. Melanin also enables the individual to hold a vision in their mind's eye and manifest it.

It's the equivalent of of being a TV producer and creating a TV show. It is also currently being used by NASA to protect the earth when a rocket is launched, plus much more. Please do not talk about things that you have little understanding about. melanin 1

anon82457

I've been reading the posts and I was wondering, isn't melanin just a chemical in the body that increases resistance to UV radiation? I've read of great tales saying that melanin is the greatest thing since sliced bread--it cures diseases and makes you better at bloody well everything, but evidence only points to a resistance against UV.

Also for those who say melanin is genetic, don't you increase your melanin production by exposure to UV? I may be just be naive but I think that this is what science has proven.

anon82422

Can salt help keep the melanin or help obtain melanin in the hair?

anon80764

How can i obtain melanin? I mean, i need some melanin in order to do an experiment and don't know where or how to obtain it. Thanks.

anon75240

My leg and hand have some white patches in my body. how to decrease them? Please give me a solution.

anon73163

It's a pity that most black people are not educated about this melanin. Maybe if they knew and understood better they would be more into their themselves and not into perming their hair to fit into the expectations of what they think a modern society expects.

Perming hair to alter the hair quality of a black person to me is just as sad as a white person tanning. And we all have excuses why we do it but all it is, is a way for society to know what we don't like about ourselves.

We should all appreciate who and what we are including all of our differences. I am proud to be black with natural hair which I love. And i especially love all the melanin in me. You should love who you are. -sbtc

anon72968

okay, my anonymous opinion. melanin colours the skin, hair and eyes. it is capable of minute protection from the sun.

it doesn't make you any more physically, emotionally or spiritually talented. it doesn't make you any better at sport, dancing, singing, thinking, reading or whatever. you don't get it through food or drink, you are born with a certain amount, and, as far as i know, you live your whole life with that amount.

the color of your skin doesn't make you any more superior to a person with a completely different skin tone. you should still wear sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses and protective clothing to prevent sunburn.

melanin is not the key to spirituality or civilisation, and you can't obtain world domination through excess melanin. i could go on forever about this. it colours your skin, the amount you have is obtained through genetics. i won't be using this website for my next school project.

anon70189

there's no such thing as melanin as a chemical, only carbon. the more carbon you have in your body, the greater it will express as black. the less you have the lighter you will be. check out dr sebi for more info. peace, alpha

anon67398

I am a sudanese by nationality, and I study melanin for my profession and religion especially christianity. In the book of Genesis, Noah's wife gave birth to Ham and Ham begat Cush, who is dark skin in Hebrew language. How did grandson of Noah become dark skinned if Noah was not dark skinned? it has simple explanation: Noah was dark skinned.

anon66715

I never read so much rubbish (apologies to those posts which actually made sense). Melanin the key to spirituality? Melanin the key to civilization? Ha ha. Melanin as protection from disease? How to feed it to a new born? Guys, you are sitting in front of a computer. Use that time to get informed! Just simply ask "what is Melanin" and stop all the ridiculous posts.

anon63718

May I know what is the chemical formula for melanin?

anon60291

Melanin is beautiful and those who have jet black skin are truly blessed. If i had jet black skin i would feel like a God.

anon56692

Hello, I am suffering from Vitiligo since I was 20 years old. i am 27 now. I am dark skinned (south asian). I want to know what kind of food can help me to get melanin? Please refer. Thanks

insomniacz

This is my last post and hoping that this post "I would like to know or simply ask you, what are the types of vegetable that produces melanin, just to prevent a little bit longer of turning my dark hair into gray. Or anything indigestible that produces melanin?, what are the sources of melanin?", will be answered.

Thanks and I'll be waiting for your answer. --insomniacs

anon56001

I would like to know or simply ask you, what are the types of vegetable that produces melanin, just to prevent a little bit longer of turning my dark hair into gray. Or anything indigestible that produces melanin?, what are the sources of melanin?

blackenergy

To increase melanin in the body if you are white? Turn back the hands of time and make sure at least one or both of your parents are "black!" And if you are black and want to know how to decrease melanin in your body? Turn back the hands of time and make sure at least one or both of your parents are "white!?

blackenergy

more melanin in the body means the better it will function. stop asking stupid questions!high concentrations of melanin in the body means that the body is more capable of super-performances. such as in sports, dance, singing, and righteous thinking! the truth speaks for itself. Open your eyes! Can you see?

blackenergy

first there was CARBON......then from that carbon came MELANIN!!! carbon is the most important element of life. if you lack melanin you are lacking CARBON!!!black people are superior mentally and physically!!!only a fool would not see this fact.and don't argue with me, argue with your GOD!!! he is the creator!!!

anon53601

melanin is the chemical of life. The basis of the chemical starts with carbon, the most significant element within all things that has life. most white folks will not accept the fact that it's no more than melanin itself that makes us (blacks)superior. do not argue with me. argue with God, for he was the creator!

anon52455

The pineal gland makes melatonin. not melanin.

anon52424

i would like to know how the synthesis of melanin takes place in our body. if possible can we incorporate a gene along with the gene for melanin by fusion? can you tell me promoter for melanin synthesis?

anon49698

Everyone up here should do way more extensive research on Melanin and the different types of melanin. Either you've got it or you don't.

anon49336

First off melanin has nothing to do with the body fighting disease. in fact those with higher melanin in cooler climates have in fact a vitamin D deficiency due to the fact that they do not absorb it from the sun. Everything that lives has melanin except for the albino and this is seen in the animal kingdom as well as human. Melanin does not tell you if you are more spiritual or if you are more likely to fight disease. if this was true then the people in Africa would not be dying from malaria or AIDS. Also, eye color has nothing to do with peoples' judgment. if that also was true then the middle east who happen to have more brown eyes would not be killing each other over land or religion. Eye color has nothing to do with people's actions; that is your own action. It's a silly comment to make, same as the alien breeding, considering we are all the same except for colours, that just makes no sense. You my friend need help. As for mental problems, it is actually a a true fact that those with darker skin are in fact more likely to have schizophrenia and mental disorders than lighter skin too. People should really do more research for as a start we all migrated from Africa and the only reason we have lighter skins is due to the colder climates. I get annoyed when people try to think they are special or something else because they are a certain color. no one is. we are all on this planet and we all need to get along. Skin has nothing to do with how you are as a person. it's just a shell that keeps the spirit within until death.

anon43188

Fair-skinned people, do they lack melanin in their skin or is it present in little amounts?

Dark-skinned people, do they have excess melanin in their skin?

anon39901

Need to understand melanin more. I have found from my research that the zebra fish has a rare gene that makes its scales lighter and darker than others. I believe this is possible and is already in use, but one must calculate how to do it. It is not impossible to change the color of your eyes, skin, or hair texture. There is genetic makeup to everything. Introduce a little bit of combinations and experiments and timing synthesis. It's all possible.

seattle76

Explain the advantage for melanin granules being located in the deep layer of the epidermis.

anon34593

How can decrease the percentage of melanin in the body? Because i'm darker and i want to be fair.

latanya

i have naturally ginger hair and very pale skin..i have never really stayed out in the sun long enough to see if i could get a tan so don't really know..do red heads have much melanin if any in their bodies at all?? and if so, then how much sun exposure or how long would it take to get a tan..and what spf sun cream is recommended to use to stop burning??

anon31051

How can melanin be metabolized by the body?

bsg

How should one provide melanin to the newborn child?

anon26636

Someone said that melanin protects the eyes from harmful light.

How does he/she explain the benefits of sun gazing (educate yourself before trying)....better eyesight, enlarged pineal gland, sharper intellect, more energy, less food energy required, etc.?

PentaD22

Anon8864, I don't know if this is coming late but people who are albino lack melanin completely. Melanin gives color to the iris. Without it, you just see the color of light reflected off of the retina, which is usually pink or red in color like almost everything inside your body.

reo28

I recently found an ad for reading glasses that are infused with melanin to reduce eye strain. My eye care professional said she never heard of this being possible, but if it were it would be incredible. Any info out there if this is possible?

anon19108

White patches on the skin are more likely to be vitiligo and there is no cure as yet. Selsun shampoo only works if the problem is related to a fungus or dandruff type skin contaminant, often caused by swimming in the Med.( warm world sewer I've been told ) I live in Spain and have noticed a lot of people with vitiligo. I have it !

anon17178

hi, how to decrease the percentage of melanin in the body? and my eyes are brownish from my birth. i am 20 years old.. my hair was black before 3 years.. after that it is turning brown.. i did not do any treatments.. but i want my hair to be black.. please tell me what is the reason for this andpleasesuggest what to do to solve this problem..

anon13227

things on the earth have melanin plants animals etc in holy books its written that god made man out of the earth the earth is brown therefore his creation of man was a brown man, and he also blessed man with melanin. it also says that god made man in the image of himself so the melanin he gave us must serve a greater purpose than what we think or think we know.

anon11921

to anon 11702,

okay, you made a lot of points, but you didn't explain anything either. If having melanin cures many things, how does a person get it into their bodies, when they don't have enough? Do you know the answer to that? Please give that answer if you know it? As far as people with melanin being more spiritual than those without.....I think that has more to do with other factors, than just melanin....and besides, spiritual people are naturally humble....and what you said about people who have more melanin being more spiritual is not humble....it gives others resentment...so if having melanin heals diseases, how do people with less melanin get melanin? Sadie

anon11702

melanin is the key to civilization. comes from the greek word to mean black. it is found in the pineal gland. it is instrumental in every chemical process in the body. the proof is in the pudding. people who have less melanin can not withstand the sun. which is in some cases seen a God of creation. the people who don't have brown eyes are more prone to make clouded decisions because of the amounts of harmful light that enters the eye. hair is straight and flat minus melanin which in turn cannot protect the scalp from harmful sun rays and environment(bugs lices) melanin is the skins first line of defense against any and everything. it is also like the creator. some people call the pineal gland the third eye which is why most people of color have more spiritual roots and what white people call "soul". melanin is far more than anyone wants you to know. which why there is only about a 8 sentence paragraph on it in most science books. you have to get the real good or expensive ones. i feel the knowledge should be taught to all. once you learn about melanin the government will be less likely to string you along with mass media and propaganda. there is no such thing as disease, germs and uncurable virus. it all has to do with the mucosal lining in our entire bodies and inflammation. melanin a natural fix, puts everything back into place. medications, stress and our diets make it harder for our bodies to control things naturally with negative feedback. i know you wise geeks know all about this. mark my words. try to look up melanin and see if you have a tuff time getting to the hard core facts.

anon11281

biosynthesis of melanin possible?

anon11133

you are either born with a certain amount of melanin or your not. there is nothing, i repeat nothing you can eat, read, smell or do that will increase you amount of melanin.

anon10923

As I understand it, melanin is also present in the brain, does this give people with higher melanin content in the body (brain included)any mental advantages over those who have less pigmented centers?

anon10398

dark matter and melanin, what is the connection?

anon8864

Hi, I want to know more about this, i have to do a report, but if you're albino, why do you have red/pink eyes? I know it has to do with melanin, but what occurs?

PentaD22

I was recently wondering if the type of melanin that causes blue eyes could be genetically coerced into forming hair of the same color. I do not know what this specific type of melanin this may be or whether or not it would be able to be incorporated in the molecular structure of hair. Perhaps you could enlighten me on this topic. Thank you for your time.

anon6294

If you have brown eyes that are just a tiny bit green, how would they be able to go from an amber color to blue? Does it have to do with melanin?

anon5198

I take an oral medication, Lamictal, which is an anti-convulsant. Recently I learned that it binds with melanin. The product information sheet indicates that the drug has not been in use for long enough to determine its significance in this regard. I need the drug but don't want to risk my vision. I already have mild cataracts. Can your experts venture an opinion?

anon4596

how does melanin affect your body?

anon3367

Hi. I am 52 year old, healthy male. I grayed at age 45, and am very gray now. I noticed this summer my hair beginning to darken.

Any ideas why?

anon2928

If melanin is responsible for our skin coloring AND HAIR color, can taking a supplement help premature graying of your hair?

anon2071

i am having serious trouble tanning i spend all day in the sun everyday and i don't get any color what so ever.i recently had brain surgery and then proton radiation.i never had any trouble tanning before the radiation, i think that has something to do with it. because there is no way im living tanless the rest of my life,what a curse.

sumit

how to decrease the percentage of melanin in the body?

Dayton

According to my brief research, the type of food one eats does not have an effect on the amount of melanin in someone's body.

anon1725

is melanin increase by eating indian spicy food in everyday?

derek123

Hello

Just woundering what i could use to treat MELANIN my body has all white patches, the doctor gave me celsun it is a shampoo but he said it works just put on the skin, that was 10 Months ago and still no change.

please advise me whats the best treatment

Thank you

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    • A hand with an uneven distribution of melanin.
      By: Axel Bückert
      A hand with an uneven distribution of melanin.
    • Melanin is an important factor in internal temperature control for lizards.
      By: eastmanphoto
      Melanin is an important factor in internal temperature control for lizards.
    • People with more melanin typically can tolerate sunshine without getting burned.
      By: Maridav
      People with more melanin typically can tolerate sunshine without getting burned.
    • Melanin gives eyes their color.
      By: shefkate
      Melanin gives eyes their color.
    • Melanin is the pigment responsible for darkening the skin.
      By: Deyan Georgiev
      Melanin is the pigment responsible for darkening the skin.