A pigment called melanin that’s found in the iris does most of the work.
Articles on Melanin
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Legend says Marie Antoinette’s hair turned white the night before she faced the guillotine. This is a myth – but some kinds of damage and stress can make your hair go grey prematurely.
Sunburn can cause cancer, heat stroke and changes to the immune system. Choosing the right sun protection, even for darker skin, is more complicated than it looks.
Widespread screening for skin cancer may not be necessary, but it is important to understand the risks behind UV overexposure and to get checked early if you have concerns.
Zebrafish melanocytes cause diseases similar to those in people when they don’t work properly. Studying how they regenerate after injury could lead to new treatments for hair color loss and vitiligo.
People with deeply-pigmented skin can also get skin cancer. But there is no evidence to suggest that this occurs because of sunburn or exposure to the sun.
The Nigerian government should enact policies and laws against discrimination and stigmatisation for chronic illnesses like vitiligo.
In Tanzania, only 2% of people born with albinism will live to the age of 40.
Analyzing the genes that determine hair colour can shed light on other conditions that are affected by melanin production, like vitiligo.
The study reveals changes in the functions of melanin over 500 million years.
Even as skin-whitening products rebrand, they are still selling racism under the guise of wellness and youth.
Some of the false claims about coronavirus may be harmless. But others can be potentially dangerous.
The long history of racist beauty standards alone cannot explain the ongoing global use of harmful skin lighteners.
Exposure to the sun every other day produces more skin pigment than sunbathing every day – but protection is still vital.
UV ratings indicate risk of skin damage – but they’re based on pale skin. New wrist bands designed for six different tones of skin provide a more personalised way to track safe UV exposure.
Top contributors
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MB BS Phase 1 Lead & Senior Lecturer in Medicine and Molecular Genetics, University of York
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Professor, ARC Future Fellow & Founding Director, Sir Ian Potter NanoBioSensing Facility, RMIT University
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Professor of Social Work, Michigan State University
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History Professor, University of Washington
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Professor, Palaeobiology, University College Cork
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Postdoctoral researcher, Palaeontology, University College Cork
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Assistant Professor of Dermatology, University of Colorado Anschutz
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Postdoctoral Researcher, Palaeobiology, University College Cork
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Assistant Professor of Molecular Medicine, UMass Chan Medical School
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Dermatologist and lecturer, Stellenbosch University
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Associate Clinical Professor of Dermatology and Epidemiology, University of Colorado Anschutz
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Assistant Research Professor of Dermatology, University of Colorado Anschutz
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Chief Specialist Scientist (Public Health), South African Medical Research Council
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Consultant physician/Dermatologist/Lecturer, Ahmadu Bello University
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Associate Professor of Critical Race Theory and Women and Health, Carleton University