What determines the color of a person's skin. Why do people have different skin colors? What determines skin color
We say that people can be black or white, but these two colors by no means exhaust all the richness of the color shades of human skin. The color of a person's skin mainly depends on where, in what place on the planet, his ancestors lived.
Scientists have experimentally confirmed theories about how people developed different shades in skin color (but so far these are only theories).
What determines skin color?
Skin color depends on a substance called melanin. The more melanin in our skin, the darker it is. When a white person spends a lot of time in the sun, a lot of melanin is formed in his skin, in other words, he tans. Albinos, who lack melanin in their bodies, have pinkish skin and reddish eyes. This color is due to the translucence of blood vessels through the skin and colorless tissues of the eye. Albinos have completely white hair.
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What is melanin for?
The deposition of melanin in the skin is its defensive response to the sun's ultraviolet radiation, which can cause skin cancer. As a light shield, melanin absorbs ultraviolet rays and helps protect the skin from damage. The more melanin in the skin, the darker it is and the better it is protected from ultraviolet radiation. Knowing the importance of the presence of melanin in the skin, scientists developed the idea of how differences in the amount of melanin deposited in the skin of different human races appeared and how these differences developed over millions of years.
Interesting fact: a large amount of melanin in the skin protects it from ultraviolet radiation.
How did people develop different skin tones?
Our distant ancestors were covered with a thin layer of wool that protected their skin from the intense ultraviolet radiation of the hot African sun. Hundreds of thousands of years have passed. As mankind developed, people began to give birth to cubs devoid of hair on their bodies. Why? Nobody knows this. But gradually, the light spotty skin of our ancestors turned out to be completely unprotected from the scorching rays of the sun.
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Since darker skin provides better protection from the sun, individuals that were born darker than their brethren gained a survival advantage. Since the dark skin color was inherited and had the advantages of natural selection, over time, the skin color of the inhabitants of Africa became dark. Humans have spread all over the earth. Those who got to the cold north found there by no means an African climate. In Europe, for example, sunlight is much weaker, especially in winter. Such a climate also has its drawbacks.
Too much UV is bad, but too little is worse. Ultraviolet rays are vital for us: under the influence of this radiation, vitamin D is produced in the skin, without which the body cannot form strong, durable bones.
Interesting: the very first humans may have had light, mottled skin similar to that of a chimpanzee under its fur.
The dimmer light of the European sun contains far fewer UV rays than the sunlight in Africa. The first problems arose, probably with dark-skinned aliens, whose skin blocked what little ultraviolet radiation remained in the rays of the northern sun. Some children developed rickets, in which the bones became soft and fragile, they easily twisted and broke.
| Complexion | Possible diseases |
| Waxy (bloodless yellowish) | Oncological |
| Grey-yellow |
|
| Gray with a bluish tint |
|
| Grey-green |
|
| Grey |
|
| Pale gray |
|
| Dark grey |
|
Women who constantly take birth control pills should be aware of the consequences - the drugs damage the liver, and this gives a yellowish-gray tint to the skin. Some medications for rheumatoid arthritis, lupus erythematosus, and malaria cause a gray complexion in women. A gray tint occurs in people taking antiarrhythmic drugs.
Complexion as a sign of illness: photos of women
Paleness with a bluish tinge may indicate problems with blood circulation. 
Pale gray color - a sign of gastrointestinal diseases 
Gray-yellow complexion occurs with liver diseases
In men, an earthy complexion may indicate overwork, dysfunction of the genitourinary system - tumor formations of any origin, adenoma or prostate cancer. In women, this is one of the signs of ovarian dysfunction or endometrial pathology.
If you change the complexion for unknown reasons, you need to contact a dermatologist.
Gray complexion in a child
If the child's complexion changes, this is an occasion to show it to the doctor. Children's skin goes through many changes until adolescence, but normally remains pink. The origins of her pallor must be sought in the state of his health.
An unhealthy complexion in a child is a sign of internal trouble
Especially if it is accompanied by a change in the general condition - lethargy, decreased appetite and activity. Possible reasons:
- infectious diseases;
- renal pathology;
- disruption of the liver;
- metabolic disease;
- anemia caused by iron deficiency;
- emotional shock.
Combined with the appearance of unexplained bruising, a pale gray complexion can be a sign of a blood disorder.
How to restore a healthy color to the face
The gray complexion as a result of bad habits or an unhealthy lifestyle is eliminated by an effort of will. It will be needed in order to quit smoking, force yourself to break away from the computer and replace it with walks in the fresh air and a healthy sound sleep at night.
The main thing is to withstand the changes within three weeks. It is during this time that a habit is formed.
Giving up cigarettes is incredibly difficult, even with the incentive to improve your appearance. If a smoking woman could see herself at least two weeks after giving up tobacco, no additional arguments were needed. Bags under the eyes disappear, the skin is smoothed, and a blush begins to break through on the cheeks. And if you accompany the rejection of addiction with the intake of antioxidant vitamins and include more foods with their content in the diet, then the effect will be simply amazing.
Including antioxidant foods in the diet of a woman who smokes will help reduce the harm caused by tobacco smoke
Three fundamental principles for beautiful skin and an overall attractive appearance (whether you are a man or a woman):
- healthy eating;
- complete rest;
- active lifestyle.
Do not forget about skin care. Pharmacy products, homemade cosmetic masks, scrubs and peels will help restore her attractiveness.
Pharmacy preparations
Sometimes the most unexpected pharmaceutical products turn out to be the best helpers in skin care. And some of them are ten times cheaper than the creams of well-known brands. What from this arsenal can be used to improve complexion?
Calcium chloride
Exfoliation of dead particles of the epithelium is a must for dull, unhealthy skin. A gentle exfoliation with a calcium chloride solution is called a Hollywood cleansing. The effect is achieved due to the interaction of calcium chloride and alkaline soap, as a result of which hard salts of higher carboxylic acids are formed.
This method is not suitable for dry skin, but oily, combination and normal skin helps to acquire a healthy look and color, reducing sebum production, removing black spots and narrowing pores. Calcium chloride is sold in ampoules, the concentration of the solution is 5 and 10%. For sensitive skin, it is better to take 5%.
Calcium chloride is used for "Hollywood" peeling
On a cleansed face, apply a fat cream around the eyes and around the lips. Moisten a cotton pad with calcium chloride and wipe the rest of the area with it. When the liquid is absorbed, apply it again. Depending on the type of skin, this should be done 3-5 times. Then lather soap (preferably baby soap) and lather your face in circular motions. It is better to wash off the scrub with chamomile infusion. After treatment, be sure to apply a moisturizer. Peeling is carried out no more than 1 time per week.
Panthenol belongs to the group of regenerating drugs. The active substance is vitamin B5 or pantothenic acid. The cream has a complex effect on the skin, activating cell regeneration, stimulating blood circulation and microcirculation. Due to this, the normal complexion is restored. Panthenol can be used constantly and even applied under decorative cosmetics.
Panthenol can be used permanently instead of cream
Panthenol in the composition of masks perfectly copes with the problems of aging skin. After a course of application, it tightens, fine mimic wrinkles are less noticeable, inflammation is eliminated, and the complexion becomes much better. A proven recipe is a mask with lemon. Add a few drops of lemon juice to a serving of ointment. Apply it in two layers and leave for a quarter of an hour. This product is good for toning and brightening the skin. And if you add a little sea salt to it, then an exfoliating effect will also be provided.
Ointment Radevit
Dermatological ointment Radevit contains only natural ingredients, therefore it is widely used in pediatric practice. The composition includes three vitamins - E (5 mg), A (10 mg) and D2 (50 mg). The main advantage of the drug for the treatment of dull skin is the normalization of keratinization processes. In addition, it restores the protective functions of the skin, intensively nourishes and moisturizes it.
To restore complexion, use Radevit daily at night for a month and a half. Then you need to take a week break and, if necessary, repeat the course.
Cream Vitamin "F99"
In dermatological practice, Vitamin F99 is used to treat eczema. The basis of the drug is omega-acids or vitamin F. It saves the skin, exhausted by frost and dry winter air, from peeling, protects from the active summer sun, preventing photoaging.
Vitamin F99 helps restore tired skin
Returns elasticity to the epidermis, evens out and improves complexion.
Thiogamma 600
The drug with alpha-lipoic acid is intended for the treatment of polyneuropathy of any origin. It is a powerful endogenous antioxidant - an acid produced by our body. It restores blood circulation in small vessels, improves nerve conduction. Acts on the body as vitamins of group B.
Thiogamma contains a powerful antioxidant - alpha lipoic acid
Thiogamma is available in vials as an infusion solution with a concentration of 600 units. Given that this is a medicine, you can use it for no more than 10 days in a row. The drug revitalizes tired dull skin, enhances regeneration and protects cells from the action of free radicals.
Cosmetologists about the use of pharmaceutical preparations for beauty
Doctors are ambivalent about the use of drugs to improve complexion and other cosmetic problems. If you still decide to use pharmaceutical preparations, consult your beautician. The second thing to do is to familiarize yourself with the contraindications. And the third - not a single drug can be used constantly, but only in courses. In general, you should not rely solely on pharmaceutical products, it is better to include them in a comprehensive rejuvenation program.
Homemade masks
The piggy bank of folk recipes for improving complexion is inexhaustible. Masks nourish, cleanse, moisturize, improve blood circulation.
Honey with lemon
Mix warmed honey, lemon juice and ground oatmeal (only 1 tablespoon each) and apply to cleansed skin for 15 minutes. For oily skin, you can add ½ teaspoon of baking soda to the composition.
Coffee + carrots
Combine a small amount of freshly squeezed carrot juice with an equal amount of freshly brewed coffee. Apply the mixture to your face and leave to dry. Wash off with water after 15 minutes. If you add more coffee grounds, you get a great scrub.
peach mask
No wonder healthy skin is compared to a ripe peach. The mask from its pulp perfectly improves the complexion. Add a teaspoon of oatmeal to it and mix until a homogeneous gruel is obtained. Apply it on your face for 20 minutes, then rinse with warm water. If the skin is dry, add a teaspoon of vegetable oil.
Sea buckthorn oil
We rarely hear about omega 7 fatty acid. Meanwhile, it is an indispensable component for the care of dull, unhealthy skin. Contains sea buckthorn oil. To improve the complexion, it is taken orally in a teaspoon in the morning before breakfast and used as a mask. Warm oil is applied to the skin for 20 minutes. Another way is to moisten gauze with oil and apply it on your face.
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Salon procedures
Professional cosmetic procedures are the most effective way to get rid of the gray complexion. Facial massage, superficial peels, biorevitalization even out the surface and color.
Cosmetic procedures rejuvenate and improve complexion
Hardware cosmetology rejuvenates for 5-10 years.
Table: cosmetic procedures to improve complexion
| Procedure name | How is it carried out | Effect | Approximate cost (rub.) |
| Ozone therapy | The drug is injected into the epidermis using special needles. |
| 500 - 6300 |
| Mesotherapy | Injection into the skin of an individually selected cocktail of bioactive substances |
| 3900 - 4500 |
| Biorevitalization | Injection into the skin of hyaluronic acid | Restore vitality to the skin by saturating it with moisture | 9600 - 10300 |
| Ultrasonic peeling | Cleansing the skin with ultrasound using a special gel (mechanical, thermal and physico-chemical effects) |
| 1800 - 2500 |
| Needle-free mesotherapy | Introduction of mesococktails into the skin using oxygen or a laser |
| 2500 - 4300 |
Cosmetic procedures are carried out in courses. The duration depends on the condition of the skin. Each method has a number of contraindications.
Diet for glowing skin
Refusal of harmful food addictions is the right way to improve the skin and the body as a whole. And this is the first step towards external self-improvement. Eliminate smoked meats from the supermarket, shawarma from the nearest kiosk and chicken from KFC from the diet. Lean on products recommended by nutritionists and dermatocosmetologists to improve complexion;
- apples and carrots;
- fatty fish and lean meats (such as turkey, rabbit, or veal);
- green vegetables;
- citrus;
- vegetable oils (linseed, olive, unrefined sunflower, sesame and others);
- germinated seeds of wheat and green buckwheat - tiny sprouts contain a maximum of substances that give plants strength to grow.
Drink vitamin drinks - teas, juices, clean water. To improve complexion, juice puree from a bunch of grapes and a handful of strawberries is useful. Spices have a good effect on the condition of the skin. Season green tea with grated ginger, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom.
Replace unhealthy foods with healthy foods, and complexion will quickly improve
The connection between irregular stools and a gray complexion is very direct. The body is poisoned by "deposits" of decay products. Prepare salads that will make your digestive tract work like clockwork. Here is the tried and tested recipe. Cut carrots, beets, apples, cabbage, a little prunes or dried apricots into strips. Add pomegranate and pine nuts, season everything with olive oil and lemon juice. This dish will remove toxins, normalize bowel function, and, therefore, improve complexion.
Gray complexion - possible consequences
Do not ignore the change in complexion, it can have far-reaching consequences in the form of severe diseases of the kidneys, liver, heart, blood vessels, blood, cancer. If you lead a healthy lifestyle, but your complexion causes concern, you should immediately consult a doctor. Perhaps the pathological process has just begun to “wake up” in your body and there is an opportunity to prevent its further development.
Prevention
Daily skin care should be the law for any woman if she doesn't want to look downtrodden and chronically tired. Basic preventive measures:
- to give up smoking;
- frequent walks in the fresh air (preferably outside the city);
- moderate exercise;
- varied diet;
- lack of stress;
- a full night's sleep.
A healthy lifestyle is the best prevention for a gray complexion
And one more thing - take care of your health, do not carry colds on your feet, do not neglect periodic preventive examinations and medical examinations.
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People are different: black, white, and also brown: from light to dark. Skin color varies from continent to continent. Where did this diversity come from? What does a person depend on? What is melanin? Let's figure it out.
Melanin. What is this?
In medical terms, melanin is synthesized in skin cells called melanocytes. Interestingly, it is present in the bulk of animals, including humans. It is the pigment melanin that gives the skin a variety of shades. It is synthesized in two leading forms that range in color from yellow to dark brown to black. Eumelanin is the form of melanin that gives skin its brown color. The second form of melanin is pheomelanin, which has a reddish-brown hue. Thanks to pheomelanin, people have freckles or fiery red hair.
Today almost everyone knows about genetics. Each of us has inherited a set of chromosomes from our parents, including those responsible for human skin color. The more active genes in the cells, the darker the skin color. Not so long ago it was possible to observe a unique case in one family where twins with different skin colors were born. But in addition to the genetic predisposition, external factors also influence the production of melanin.
The impact of melanin on humans
Any person on our planet has an approximately equal number of melanocytes. This fact proves that all people on the planet, whether white men or black girls, have the same skin. The question arises in the synthesis of melanin by a separate organism and some external factors. Under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, human skin begins to produce more melanin. This helps prevent DNA damage in human skin.
Until now, this process has not been fully explored, but thanks to the protective reaction of the body, our skin remains intact. And in people living in the equatorial region, where the sun's rays scorch ruthlessly, the skin has acquired its characteristic swarthy color.
Crash in the program
But unfortunately, there are exceptions to the rules. Today you can observe a rare disease - albinism. It is characterized by the absence of melanin in the skin cells. This process is observed in both animals and humans. We are happy to watch snow-white animals, for example, you can see or magnificent, but if this happens to a person, this is really a tragedy. A person cannot stay in the open sun for a long time, his skin burns instantly. The body suffers from strong radiation.
There is another failure in the genetic program caused by the progressive loss of melanocytes - vitiligo. In this case, the skin becomes patchy. Whatever color of a person's skin prevails, with this disease it becomes completely white in places. And as a result, a dark-skinned person by nature can become completely white. Unfortunately, today genetic failures are incurable.
Light-skinned inhabitants of the planet
An interesting fact is that representatives of the white population make up 40% of all mankind. As we have already said, the genetically light color of human skin is due to the activity of melanin in the cells. If we take into account that the people who settled on the planet had facial features and dermis color characteristic of a certain group, then over time the isolation of the group led to the formation of a light-skinned race. The bulk of these people live in Europe, Asia and North Africa.
Human skin color, as already mentioned, also depends on external factors. For example, people in Northern Europe have lighter skin than Asians. are less active in the north, and therefore it is easier for white people to get the vitamin D they need. Although it should be noted that there are northern peoples who have enough. According to scientists, this also depends on food.
Interestingly, in people with fair skin, melanin in the upper layers of the epidermis is present in single copies. Eye color also depends on which layer of the iris contains a large amount of melanin. If this is the first layer, then the eyes will be brown, and if the fourth or fifth layers, then, respectively, blue or green.
black people
The main population with dark skin color lives in Central and South Africa. People in this climate zone are exposed to intense solar exposure. And exposure to ultraviolet radiation causes the synthesis of melanin in the human body, which has a protective function. Dark skin is the result of constant exposure to the sun.
A distinctive feature at the gene level in people with black skin is that their cells produce melanin in large quantities. In addition, as scientists have found out, the top layer of the epidermis in such people completely covers the skin with pigment. This fact gives the skin a color that ranges from brown to almost black.
An interesting fact is that the pigment melanin appears in humans even in embryonic development. But by the time of birth, melanocytes practically disappear from the baby's body, and after birth they begin to develop intensively in the skin. Many people are surprised when they see light-colored babies from a dark-skinned mother. The fact is that children are born light and darken over the next few months.
In conclusion
At present, science is based on the fact that human skin color is the result of the adaptation of a certain group of people to the intensity of solar radiation in their habitat. Melanin in this case performs protective functions from the ultraviolet radiation of the sun, in the absence of it, the skin would become decrepit very quickly. In addition to aging, the possibility of skin cancer increases.
Interestingly, women have lighter skin than men. This is why black girls look much lighter than guys. In people with a light dermis, this difference is practically not noticeable. Unfortunately, in today's world, skin color often gives rise to stereotypes. The division of mankind on this basis often leads to But after all, we all belong to the same species and are people.
An international team of researchers, as a result of genotyping two thousand people living in different regions of Africa, discovered the main genetic variants responsible for the intensity of skin pigmentation. The variants responsible for dark skin seem to link Africans with South Asian and Australo-Melanesian populations, and one of the alleles associated with fair skin was non-African in origin and brought from outside. In addition, scientists were able to establish the function of one of the genes ( MFSD12), polymorphisms in which are associated with skin color in humans. Research published in the journal Science.
Skin color is an important adaptation for living at one latitude or another and varies over a fairly wide range - for example, among Africans you can meet both people with relatively fair skin and completely black. The intensity of pigmentation correlates with the intensity of ultraviolet radiation characteristic of a given region. It reaches a maximum at the equator, and a minimum - in high latitudes, where the fairest-skinned people live. While dark skin protects its wearer from excess UV, white skin is an adaptation to its deficiency, as some UV is needed for vitamin D synthesis.
The distribution of the intensity of ultraviolet radiation, expressed in the number of doses of ultraviolet radiation required to "burn" the skin (erythemal dose)
The main pigment that provides UV protection is melanin. It is synthesized in special cells - melanocytes, localized in the deep layers of the skin.
Skin color is a complex genetic trait - different genes determine the amount, structure and distribution of the pigment. Animal studies have identified about 350 genes that are somehow associated with pigmentation, but in humans, apparently, they are much smaller.
Researchers from several American universities, in collaboration with colleagues from Botswana, Tanzania and Ethiopia, conducted a large-scale search for genetic variants that determine the diversity of skin tones. The study involved 2092 people who were quantitatively determined by the reflection of light from the skin, the intensity of pigmentation and took a blood test for genotyping. Participants represented different ethnic groups living in the territory of the countries listed above. In addition, the genomes of representatives of the Eurasian and Australo-Melanesian populations, which were read earlier, were used for comparison.
Among the subjects, the representatives of the San people (Bushmen) living in southern Africa had the lightest skin, and the representatives of the Nilo-Saharan language macrofamily of East Africa had the darkest skin. The most significant associations with skin color were found for four genetic loci - polymorphisms in genes SCL24A5,MSFD12 and in regulatory regions of genes DDB1/TMEM138 And OCA2/HERC2. According to scientists, variations in these loci account for approximately 30 percent of the observed diversity. Thus, in humans, skin color, although a complex feature, is not as complex as, for example, height.
Examples of allele distribution of the SLC24A5 (left) and MFSD12 (right) genes in world populations. The SLC24A5 (G) variant is associated with dark skin, while the SLC24A5 (A) variant is associated with light skin. The MFSD12 (T) variant is associated with darker skin, while the MFSD12 (C) variant is associated with lighter skin.
Nicholas G Crawford et al / Science, 2017
For some of the genes found, the functions were known, for example, the gene product DDB1(Damage Specific DNA Binding Protein 1) is involved in the repair of DNA damage caused by ultraviolet radiation, and OCA2 encodes an ion transporter that regulates acidity in melanosomes. However, for the gene MSFD12, in which variations account for almost five percent of the diversity, the function has not been established. As part of the study, the authors of the work tried to do this.
It was known that two mutations located in the gene MSFD12, are found only in the African population, especially in the east, and are associated with the darkest skin. The researchers found that these polymorphisms are associated with reduced gene expression. When expression MSFD12 artificially lowered in melanocytes, the cells began to accumulate black pigment. Thus, the function of the MSFD12 protein was associated with the suppression of melanin synthesis.
The most strongly associated with the skin color of Africans was a polymorphism in the gene SCL24A5, which is also expressed in melanocytes and encodes an ion transporter. The researchers showed that the fair-skinned allele of this gene is common in African populations with established Asian origins (Ethiopia and Tanzania), but is rare in the "indigenous" African populations of the San and Botswana. Apparently, this variant appeared in Africa as a result of gene flow from Eurasia in the last 3-9 thousand years, and its presence there has been traced for 30 thousand years.
Previously, it was known that the “light-skinned” version of this gene is common among Europeans and has become entrenched in the population as a result of selection. Moreover, light-skinned alleles were also found in the Neanderthal and Denisovan genomes, which supports the hypothesis that dark skin color is a late acquisition, and our ancestors, after losing body hair, were rather moderately pigmented.
Earlier, we talked about a study by German scientists who suggested that the fair skin of modern Europeans was inherited from the ancient hunters and gatherers who lived in this territory, but not from the first farmers who came from Asia.
Daria Spasskaya