DO YOU KNOW

 What is melanin?

     Melanin is a black pigment found in our bodies that is produced by special skin cells called melanocytes. It is melanin that gives colour to the skin and hair. The amount of melanin in the skin accounts for the colour differences among the races. Thus the melanocytes in the bodies of dark-skinned people produce more melanin than those in the bodies of fair-skinned people. 

     Melanin protects us from the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation, including skin cancer. Some people are unable to form melanin because of a flaw in their chemical makeup. Such people are known as 'albinos'. Their skin and hair are white and their eyes are red. 

     Melanin production increases with exposure to strong ultraviolet light, and this creates a sun tan, which is a protective response. Over a period of years excessive exposure to sun can tend to cause wrinkles and cancer of the skin. Since dark-skinned people have more melanin, they have fewer wrinkles and are less likely to develop skin cancer.