What is Melanin and Why It’s Essential for Your Health

Skin color is determined by a pigment called melanin. Melanin is present in all types of skin, be it fair skin or black. It is present in different forms and proportions in each person. Melanin not only gives color to the skin but also protects the skin from the harmful rays of the sun. Apart from skin, it is found in hair, eyes, ears, brain and adrenal glands.

Overexposure to the sun's harmful rays can cause your skin to show signs of premature aging. It also increases your risk of several types of skin cancer. Any type of skin cancer can occur, from basal cell carcinoma to melanoma.

The side effects of the sun's UV or ultraviolet radiation depend on the amount of melanin in your skin. The more melanin in your skin, the fewer side effects of ultraviolet radiation.

Additionally, people with more melanin in their skin look younger than white people. In addition, melanin reduces the damage caused to the skin by free radicals in the skin.

There are three types of melanin:

Eumelanin:

It appears in the hair, skin, and dark areas around the breasts. The black and brown color of hair, skin, and eyes depends on this type of melanin. Hair appears golden or brown due to low levels of eumelanin.

Pheomelanin:

It is also found in hair and skin. This melanin gives pink and red color to the skin and hair, it is mainly seen in people with red hair. Phemelanin may not protect you from cancer caused by the sun's harmful UV rays.

Neuromelanin:

A form of melanin is found in different areas of the brain and a lack of this melanin can cause many neurological diseases.