Whether spending time out in the sun or spending time in a tanning booth, most people have had some contact to ultraviolet rays. The most common activity where this contact occurs is tanning. Tanning is the process of using the effects of...
Melanin is the pigment produced by cells called melanocytes to protect your skin from ultraviolet rays and therefore prevent sunburn, says the NHS Choices website for England's National Health Service. This pigment is what gives your skin and hair...
Melanin is important to your skin's health. This compound is a pigment that protects your skin from the harmful effects of sunlight. Melanin production can increase over time to darken the skin and better protect you from sun exposure. But in...
Melanin is the compound in biological organisms that produces color. For the human body, it creates the color in your skin and hair. As you grow older, your body stops producing pigment in the hair follicles and hair shafts slowly turn either gray...
Melanin is a substance found in the skin, hair and iris of the eye. Melanin is what gives your body its distinctive pigment, or coloring. Melanocytes are cells that produce melanin in the skin and other areas. Melanin production in the body is...
Over time, most people's hair turns grey, according to a report from the Library of Congress. The odds of going grey increase by 10 to 20 percent every 10 years past the age of 30. In the womb, all hair is white and develops its color as the body...
Melanocytes are cells naturally produced by your body. These cells emit melanin to provide your hair with its natural color. As you age, melanin production slows, and you may suffer from gray hair. In fact, according to Women's Fitness Magazine,...
Hyperpigmentation, or melasma, refers to dark areas and brown spots on the skin. According to the Beverly Hills Dermatology website, hyperpigmentation is caused by the excess production of melanin, the pigment produced by the body which determines...
Hair is naturally white. It is the melanin, a pigment formed in the melanocyte cells, that colors your hair. The amount of natural production determines hair color, such as blond or brunette. But sometimes hair becomes lighter or turns gray...
Gray hair usually occurs as you begin to age. Unfortunately, there isn't anything you can do to stop the aging process. It is natural to age, but there is a selection of supplements you can take every day which will help to reduce or prevent gray...
Grey hair develops due to a lack of pigment in the hair shaft. Normally, proteins such as melanin, act as pigments within the hair shaft, giving hair a range of colors from blonde, to red, to brown and black. Grey hair can develop naturally as you...
Discoloration of the skin, or vitiligo, is a condition in which patches of the skin appear more pale than the surrounding skin. This condition arises due to a lack of melanin production in the area of discoloration. There is no cure for vitiligo,...
A stretch mark is a type of scar that develops in response to rapid weight gain, such as that caused by puberty, weightlifting and pregnancy. In fact, as many as 90 percent of pregnant women develop stretch marks, according to the American...
During the summertime, the warmer weather coaxes people outdoors with biking, swimming and cookouts. Although darker skin has more protection through the increased melanin production, the sun's UV rays can still cause damage. Proper ethnic skin...
When confronted with perceived flaws on their face, most people immediately consider options for remedying those flaws. The cosmetics industry is built on it. Dark spots on the face are no different.
The skin covering your neck possesses a higher sensitivity than skin on some other areas of your body. Known as your body's largest organ, your skin must be nourished and protected from damage. When skin discoloration, known as hyperpigmentation...
Hyperpigmentation is the overgrowth of melanin in your skin. In normal circumstances, melanin production maintains an even color throughout your skin. But some antibiotics and other drugs (such as antimalarial medication or some heart medications)...
Dark skin spots are a result of excessive melanin production. Melanin is the skin's natural pigmentation and determines skin tone. Aging and overexposure to the sun can stimulate melanin, causing skin to darken in areas while remaining light in...
While stretch marks are harmless, many people find them unsightly and wish to have them treated. Laser therapy is one of several treatment options used to reduce the appearance of stretch marks. It works by promoting the production of melanin....
Moles are a common skin blemish that occurs when groups of melanocytes form too close together beneath the surface of the skin. Melanocytes are cells responsible for producing melanin, the substance that gives your skin pigment (color). When these...
Dark circles can form under your eyes due to several factors such as lack of sleep, allergies, excess melanin production and illness. This discoloration may make you self conscious and lead you to search extensively for a remedy. There are...
Ingrown hairs and razor bumps can leave behind small scars that are evidenced by dark discoloration of the skin. This is caused by scar tissue and increased melanin production at the injury site. These spots fade after time, but it may take months...
The dark spots on your elbows are called age spots, or lentigines. Most people who get dark spots are over the age of 40, however, they can form at any time. You get dark spots on your elbows when you expose your skin to UV rays of light for an...
Some see gray hair as a sign of wisdom. But it isn't a head full of knowledge that gives hair a silvery sheen. Graying is a natural part of aging, and multiple factors weigh into when and how quickly a person goes gray. Old age isn't a...
Liver spots--also called age spots or solar lentigines--are brown, irregular patches on the skin. They are most common on sun-exposed areas, including the shoulders, back, arms, forehead, cheeks, nose and the backs of the hands. Age spots range...
The process of laser hair removal consists of killing the hair follicle by beaming a laser into the skin. This process slows hair growth or eliminates it all together. The laser beam is absorbed into the dark pigment of the hair, which is why this...
Tanning bed bulbs are designed to produce the same effect as the sun's rays while allowing the user to stay indoors and spend less time exposed to the sun. However, the sun emits UVA, UVB and UVC rays while a tanning bed emits only UVA and UVB...
Stretch marks take place when the skin is stretched too far, such as when a person rapidly gains weight. Because the skin cannot produce enough elastin or collagen to support skin stretching, stretch marks form. These marks look like jagged purple...
Gray hair is a fact of life. The longer you live, the more gray hair you'll have. The only question remains how early in life your hair will begin turning gray. Typically, people experience their first serious encounters with gray hair during...
