What is melanin?
Melanin is a natural pigment that gives color to skin, hair and eyes. It is produced by cells called melanocytes and helps protect the body from ultraviolet radiation.
There are two main types in humans. Eumelanin is brown or black and is most common in darker skin and hair. Pheomelanin is red or yellow and is found in red hair, freckles and lighter skin. The mix of these types and the amount produced determine a person's natural coloring.
Everyone has roughly the same number of melanocytes. Differences in skin color come from how active these cells are and the type and amount of melanin they make. These differences are inherited and developed in human populations over thousands of years, related to the strength of sunlight in different parts of the world.
Other roles
Melanin absorbs UV light and helps protect DNA in skin cells. It is also found in the inner ear and parts of the brain. Albinism is a genetic condition in which little or no melanin is produced, causing very light skin, hair and eyes and making skin very sensitive to the Sun.
Did You Know?
Gray and white hair appear when hair follicles stop producing melanin, often with age.
This answer is general information, not medical advice. For a personal health question, talk to a doctor.