If there is not enough melanin. What makes a person beautiful? Melanin

16.04.2024

Instructions

First, it’s worth learning: if you eat a balanced diet and your body gets all the substances it needs, you shouldn’t have problems with melanin production. Therefore, it is extremely important to eat a balanced diet and include as many vitamins as possible in your diet. Eating enough fruits and vegetables in a variety of colors will do the trick for this purpose.

Melanin production can be stimulated by eating certain foods. Thus, vitamin B has a good effect on maintaining melanin levels. Especially B10, namely para-amino-benzoic. As soon as the body begins to receive a dose of ultraviolet radiation, it begins to actively help the production of melanin, which protects the skin from sunburn. You can find vitamin B10 in cereals, cereals, and wholemeal bread.

To make yours brighter, you cannot do without vitamins A, E and C. They are found in large quantities in beta-carotene and carotene, both substances are quite easy to find in carrots and tomatoes. Eating these vegetables fresh and in the form of juices (with a little added fat, for example, olive oil, without which the body will not absorb carotene and beta-carotene) will have the best effect on the body's production of melanin.

To stimulate melanin production, it is recommended to eat soy products, as well as beans, nuts, and dates. The fact is that they contain another melanin precursor - tryptophan. This substance can also be found in peanuts and bananas, which, in addition to tryptophan, also contain the above-mentioned tyrosine.

Help the transition of tryptophan and tyrosine to melanin with copper and mineral salts. These substances are found in exotic seafood, such as oysters, as well as liver and natural cocoa or chocolate.

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How to increase melanin in skin
how is melanin produced

Melanin is responsible for pigmentation of the skin, iris, hair and is a protective substance that protects the skin from exposure to ultraviolet rays. To increase melanin levels, you need to eat right and use certain pharmaceutical medications.

Instructions

The amino acids tyrosine and tryptophan contribute to the production of sufficient amounts of melanin. To saturate your body with these amino acids, consume animal products: meat, liver, eggs, butter, milk and fermented milk products. Also amino acids in seafood and fish. To saturate the body with these amino acids, it is enough to eat 250-300 g of meat or fish daily.

Nuts, brown rice, dates, bananas contain large amounts of amino acids, including tyrosine and tryptophan. By systematically consuming these foods, you will receive a sufficient amount of amino acids necessary for the production of melanin.

In order for amino acids to be converted into melanin, you need a sufficient amount of enzymes, which you can get from oysters, millet, sesame, etc. The more nutritiously you eat, the higher the production of melanin will be.

Include grains in your diet every day, which can be obtained by eating wholemeal bread. The precursor to melanin is tryptophan, which is found in large quantities in dairy products, dates and beans.

In addition to products for the production of melanin, you can use the synthetic hormone melanocortin under the trade name “Melanotan-2”. But do not use this drug without a doctor. The drug is prescribed by the doctor not only to increase the level of melanin, but also as a drug that reduces appetite, reduces fat in problem areas, and also to prevent melanoma formed from a lack of melanin.

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lack of melanin

The human body is filled with melanin. These are pigments that are found in the iris of the eyes, skin, and hair. These pigments are produced in the body thanks to certain substances.

According to scientists, melanins are the most important catalysts for biochemical processes occurring in the human body. In addition, they take an active part in eliminating the consequences of stress.

Melanin is formed in the body through the interaction of two amino acids: tryptophan and tyrosine. Therefore, if there is a need to activate the production of this pigment, you should eat more of those foods that contribute to this process.

You must strive to ensure that your

Melanin is the substance that is responsible for the color of eyes, skin, and hair. But this function is rather secondary, since it is designed to protect epidermal cells from external influences. With insufficient or increased production of this pigment, people experience characteristic symptoms. To restore melanin synthesis, special external cosmetics and preparations are used. In addition, this process is dependent on diet.

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What is melanin?

Melanin comes from the Greek word melanos, which means "black". It is a pigment substance, an amorphous suspension of various polymer compounds that color the tissues of animals, plants, microorganisms and fungi.

There are several types of melanin:

pheomelanins - yellow;
eumelanins - brown and black;
neuromelanins (mixed).

Not all types of melanins affect the human body. Some are just ballast substances. In the human body, only DOPA-melanins, that is, pheomelanins, are widely used.

Melanin is made up of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulfur (sometimes) and other substances. The following amino acids are found in this pigment:

arginine;
cystine;
tryptophan;
tyrosine;
methionine;
histidine

Pheomelanins are insoluble in water, acids and organic solvents. But many are sensitive to the action of alkaline solutions. For example, if you wash your hair with soda, it will become light.

Synthesis

This pigment is quite difficult to produce. Several types of hormones (α-MSH, β-MSH and γ-MSH), which are called melanocyte-stimulating and are produced in the pituitary gland (brain appendage), are involved in the synthesis of melanin. Moreover, the greatest contribution is made by alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone.

The production of melanin in skin cells begins under the influence of sunlight. This process occurs in the organelles (permanent formations in cells necessary for their life) of melanocytes, and is activated by the oxidation of an amino acid called tyrosine. As a result, another amino acid is formed, dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA), from which the dye pigment is synthesized.

Functions

The main function of melanin is to protect human tissues from ultraviolet rays and the effects of other aggressive carcinogens. The protective effect is to shield and absorb excess rays by the pigment. So melanin transforms one part of the rays into heat, and uses the other for photochemical reactions. This function of the pigment allows one to avoid the malignant degeneration of cells, which occurs under the influence of ionizing radiation and ultraviolet rays, and to reduce the accumulation of radionuclides in the body.

The pigment accumulates in the cell near its nucleus. This allows you to protect the genetic information stored in it.

In addition, melanin has other functions:

eliminates stress effects that disrupt cellular balance and the state of immunity;
has an adaptogenic effect;
accelerates biochemical processes;
reduces destructive processes in the thyroid gland, hypothalamus, liver and adrenal glands;
performs a transport function.

Melanin is a natural pigment that is a universal protector. It protects the cellular structure of the human body from physical and chemical carcinogens and other mutagenic factors.

Where does it accumulate?

Melanin accumulates in melanocytes. These are special cells that are found in the outer layer of the skin. They have a round shape, long shoots, reminiscent of a starfish. Melanocytes are located under the layer of main skin cells (keratinocytes). There are about 1,200 such cells per square centimeter of skin.

Location of melanocyte and melanin in the epidermis layer

Melanocytes are connected to keratinocytes through special intercellular contacts called bridging desmosomes. This forms a functional unit that ensures the flow of melanin from melanocytes into the upper layers of the skin, the cortex of the hair and the iris of the eye.

A person's appearance depends on this substance. The level of melanin determines the color of the skin, hair and iris. In people of the Caucasian race, in the upper layer of the skin there are only single granules of this pigment, and in people of the Negroid race, the epidermis is completely filled with melanin.

Hair color is determined by the melanin content in the cortex. These pigment substances are able to penetrate into the core of the hair, giving it a dark shade. In fair-haired people, the number of pigments is smaller, and they are predominantly located superficially and are smaller in size. In some cases, hair pigmentation is non-granular (diffuse), which is why the hair color has a red tint.

Eye color is also determined by the depth and level of melanin content. If this natural pigment is only in the 4-5 layer, then the eyes will have a blue or blue color. The location of melanin in the anterior layers gives the iris a brown or yellow-brown color. The uneven distribution of melanin in the anterior layers is expressed by gray or green eye color.

If people have a hereditary disorder of melanin synthesis, the condition is called albinism. In this case, the pigment is produced in small quantities or not at all. For this reason, such people have almost white hair, colorless skin, light blue eyes, and sometimes have a reddish tint. Albinism is often accompanied by problems with vision and hearing; people with it suffer from weakened immunity.

External signs of albinism

If a person accumulates an excess amount of melanin, he develops melanosis. He can be

physiological - pigment is present in excessive amounts on the skin, hair, eyes, and brain membrane;
pathological - pigment localized in those organs where it should not normally be present (mucous membranes, intestines, esophagus).

How to increase production?

In addition, special dietary supplements can be used. Experts have developed drugs that help produce a similar pigment.

Diet

If a person burns badly under the sun's rays, then he has a low protective function. It can be restored by improving your diet. To increase the concentration of melanin in the skin and hair, you need to consume foods that are rich in beta-carotene, tryptophan, tyrosine, fatty acids, lipocoin, vitamin A, B, C, E.

Group	List of useful products
Vegetables	White cabbage; pumpkin; broccoli; Bell pepper; carrot; potato; greens (lettuce, spinach)
Fruits	Banana; dates; apricot; avocado; peach; citrus
Seafood, offal and meat	Beef liver; sardine; tuna; salmon; mackerel; mussels; crustaceans; oysters; pork; red meat
Nuts and seeds	Pumpkin seeds; sesame; hazelnut; almond; peanut; pine nuts; Walnut
Cereals	Millet; wheat
Legumes	Beans; beans;
Berries	Watermelon; rose hip; grape
Dairy	kefir; butter; fermented baked milk; yogurt.

coffee;
pastries, cakes;
corn;
salty;
wine.

dietary supplements

To increase the synthesis of melanin in the skin, you can use various dietary supplements. They are made from natural raw materials and contain a large amount of useful minerals, vitamins and amino acids.

The following products are popular in the form of tablets and capsules:

Pro Solveil;
Nature Tan;
Inneov;
Bevital-San.

Before using vitamin-mineral complexes and dietary supplements, you should consult your doctor, as there may be contraindications.

Drugs

The most effective drug for low melanin levels in the body is Melanotan 2, which is sold in powder form for injection. This product helps a person get a tan even in the absence of sunlight, and prevents further penetration of ultraviolet rays deep into the epidermis. This medicine has other positive effects. It stimulates libido and reduces appetite.

To improve melanin synthesis, external agents should be used. Gels, creams and lotions that contain melanin or its activators help provide protection to the skin and hair.

For vitiligo, solar eczema and photodermatosis, patients may be prescribed melanin ointment.

You can purchase the following beauty products to increase melanin production:

Vitasan cream;
Vitix gel;
Vitilemna gel;
Antisedin lotion;
Shampoo Tian De Master Herb.

They are applied directly to areas of the skin (face, arms, legs, etc.) that suffer from melanin deficiency.

Remedies for excessive pigmentation

Excessive melanin content in the body does not pose a threat, and therefore is not perceived by doctors as a dangerous condition. However, excessive pigmentation can cause discomfort, especially for women.

In order to reduce melanin production, you should:

1. Avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight. Preventing the negative effects of ultraviolet radiation will reduce pigment synthesis in the skin. You must wait at least 2-3 months.
2. Use special depigmenting cosmetics. They contain components that help remove melanin from the body.
3. Undergo meseotherapy. Its essence lies in the introduction of drugs under the skin that reduce hyperpigmentation of the hair and iris of the eyes.
4. Apply exfoliating procedures. For this, laser resurfacing and peelings are recommended, which also speed up the process of getting rid of excess melanin.

When there is an excess of melanin, special inhibitors are used. They are applied to hyperpigmented areas of the skin, after which the shade is gradually restored. The following inhibitors are distinguished:

ascorbic acid;
arbutin;
kojic acid;
melanoxyl.

To reduce pigment synthesis, you can make changes to your diet. Previously, products were presented that promote melanin production. They should be consumed in minimal quantities.

Traditional methods

To get rid of hyperpigmentation, you can use folk remedies.

Skin lightening products should only be used on pigmented areas. After the procedure, nourishing creams are used. Folk remedies for hyperpigmentation should be used daily, preferably 2-3 times a day.

Traditional medicine offers the following methods:

1. Mask made of starch and lemon juice. You need to take 1 teaspoon of potato starch, pour it into a bowl (glass or porcelain), add squeezed lemon juice (from 1 fruit). All components are mixed until a paste is obtained, after which it is applied to age spots. The procedure should last no more than 25 minutes, after which the mask is washed off with cold water.
2. Rubbing with natural juices. It is recommended to use freshly squeezed juices of grapefruit, lemon, cucumber, black currant, rowan or fresh parsley. Birch sap is useful. Any of them is applied by lightly rubbing onto age spots and washed off with cool water after 25 minutes.
3. Cream from fermented milk products. It is recommended to use sour milk, kefir or yogurt. The thicker the composition, the easier it is to apply it, covering only the required area. Use the funds in the same way as in previous cases.
4. Rubbing with calendula juice. You need to take fresh leaves and flowers of the plant, pass them through a meat grinder, and squeeze out the juice from the mixture. It is used in a similar way.
5. Applying ice cubes from viburnum juice. They take the berries of the plant, squeeze the juice out of them, pour them into molds and put them in the refrigerator to freeze. After this, pieces of viburnum ice are applied to the pigment spots.
6. To carry out a similar procedure, you can use a vodka infusion of cucumber. To do this, the vegetable is peeled and chopped. Three tablespoons of raw material are poured into a glass of vodka. The product must be infused in a tightly sealed container until it acquires a greenish color. The resulting infusion is used to rub age spots. This method is undesirable in the presence of even minor damage to the skin.

Tablets for the production of melanin are medications that help increase the level of natural pigment in the human body. It is this substance that is responsible for the color of eyes, skin, and hair. Melanin performs a number of protective functions, and its deficiency causes a lot of pathological conditions, which, although not particularly dangerous, create a lot of inconvenience in everyday life.

The main function of melanin is protection against ultraviolet radiation and some carcinogenic factors. This substance screens, absorbs and distributes the energy of solar rays. Part of the ultraviolet energy is converted into thermal radiation, and the remainder is used by the body in various photochemical reactions.

Thanks to this, malignancy of the epidermis into malignant neoplasms does not occur. A layer of pigment surrounds the cell nucleus, protecting genetic information.

Additional functions of melanin and its precursor melatonin:

reduction of general stress in the body;
neutralization of aggressive fragments of molecules - free radicals;
stimulation of metabolic processes;
water-soluble forms of the substance are capable of performing transport functions;
promotes adaptation to various living conditions;
reduction of manifestations of dystrophy in the endocrine glands and liver.

There are a number of pathological conditions in which melanin levels can decrease. In addition, external factors influence the production of protective pigment.

What causes a decrease in melanin:

Imbalance in the hormonal sphere, long-term use of steroids and other drugs containing hormones.
Deficiency of vitamins and minerals.
Genetic predisposition.
Lack of sunlight.
Private stressful situations.

Signs of deficiency are largely cosmetic in nature. But behind them lie various pathological processes in the body.

Symptoms of pigment deficiency:

increased sensitivity to sunlight;
too light skin or whitish spots on the epidermis;
uneven tan;
early chronoaging with the appearance of gray hair and wrinkles at a young age;
change, fading of the iris;
vitiligo – loss of pigment in various parts of the body;
the birth of an albino child.

If such symptoms are present, then it is necessary to reconsider your lifestyle and undergo examination by a doctor. To increase the level of pigmentation, it is recommended to adhere to a healthy diet and take vitamin complexes.

Types of drugs

How to increase the protective functions of the epidermis and are there universal tablets for the production of melanin in the body?

There are no pharmaceutical drugs that increase the protective properties of the epidermis in tablet form. Only a small list of photoprotective creams is produced to alleviate the condition of patients with vitiligo.

Medicines prescribed to patients with skin pigment deficiency only stimulate natural production in skin cells.

Currently, a synthetic analogue of melanocortins has been developed. These are hormonal substances that stimulate melanin production.

The product provokes the production of its own pigment even in the absence of sunlight. The drug has side effects - it increases libido and reduces appetite.

The product has been tested on animals and humans. But it has not been put into serial production, but is used only in scientific laboratories. Therefore, if you are offered pills to increase the level of skin pigment, there is a high probability of buying a placebo.

Tablets that can be taken without a doctor's prescription

How to increase melanin levels on your own? Without examination and doctor’s recommendations, you can only take vitamin and mineral complexes and biologically active substances.

What you can drink on your own:

Vitamin A in the form of an oil solution.
Any balanced vitamin complexes.
Pro Soleil is not a medicine, but a dietary supplement.

Produced in France. It contains lutein, a vitamin complex, and vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene. Positioned as a means to prolong tanning and combat skin aging.

Nature Tan - this dietary supplement is positioned as a means of protection against ultraviolet rays. Produced in France. The preparation contains grape extract, vitamin E, ascorbic acid, zinc and selenium, beta-carotene, soy flavonoids, which help increase melanin levels in the body.
Bevital-San is a dietary supplement produced in Croatia. The components are brewer's yeast in an inactive state as a source of B vitamins and beta-carotene.

How to use medications correctly

Before using dietary supplements to increase melanin levels, read the instructions. It describes effective dosages. They vary depending on the drug.

How to take dietary supplements to increase pigment production:

Vitamin A – to prevent hypovitaminosis, drink 2500–5000 IU per day. When treating various diseases associated with vitamin A deficiency, the dosage is 10,000–20,000 IU. It is allowed for pregnant and lactating women.
Pro Soleil – 1 capsule per day. You should start taking it 2 weeks before the start of active sun exposure.
Nature Tan – 1 capsule per day. Reception also begins 14 days before active sun exposure.
Bevital-San – 1 tablet per day. The course of treatment is at least 1 month.

All tablets are taken with meals, with plenty of water.

Contraindications for use

The official drug that promotes the production of melanin is only vitamin A. The instructions for the drug indicate the following contraindications for use:

individual sensitivity;
simultaneous use with other drugs containing vitamin A;
hypervitaminosis;
kidney diseases.

The annotation for the Bevital Sun dietary supplement states that use is prohibited for pregnant and lactating women with individual sensitivity to the components. The instructions for the Pro Soleil and Nature Tan complexes do not indicate any contraindications.

Whether or not to use pharmaceutical drugs is up to everyone to decide for themselves. But remember that all of them, except vitamin A, are not official medicine and their potential harm has not been studied. It is also unknown how the components affect overall health.

Treatment of pathological processes associated with a lack of melanin is carried out comprehensively and under the guidance of a doctor. Thoughtless use of untested remedies can end sadly.

Everyone knows that melanin is a special pigment that is produced by the skin to protect it from ultraviolet rays. If this process is disrupted, you need to know how to increase melanin in the skin to get a more even tan. It is also important to ask how to increase melanin to prevent the formation of cancer cells that can form under the influence of ultraviolet radiation.

It turns out that melanin is responsible not only for a gorgeous tan. It is also a determining factor even in eye and hair color. Melanin is also responsible for moles, age spots and freckles that appear on the body. In a word, all “dark marks” on the body are the result of active melanin production.

Why is melanin so necessary for human skin? Its increased production occurs mainly under the influence of the sun's rays. This is an important pigment that can be called a kind of barrier to harmful ultraviolet radiation.

Many people may have heard that only cockroaches can survive a nuclear explosion. And all because melanin is a reliable filter that does not even allow radiation to pass through. Scientists claim that melanin has the ability to remove heavy metal salts and toxins from the body. Thanks to the presence of this component, it is possible to recover from various types of poisoning.

Among the important benefits of melanin, it can be noted that this pigment helps people addicted to drugs and alcoholism, preventing the development of cancer cells.

Like other important substances, melanin in the body should be in moderation. Any deviation from the norm leads not only to unwanted skin pigmentation, but can cause the development of various skin diseases. The lack of this component leads to the premature appearance of gray hair.

If you notice unnatural paleness of the skin, which instead of tanning is covered with sunburn, it’s time to think about the fact that it’s time to replenish your melanin reserves. Age indicators also affect the decrease in the production of the necessary pigment. As a result, white spots appear on the skin of the face and discoloration of the iris of the eyes.

In addition to troubles associated with the aesthetics of appearance, more serious problems arise that affect health. Diseases that are caused by a lack of melanin include melanoma, vitiligo and albinism. There are several ways to increase the level of production of this important pigment to maintain your youth and health longer. First, you need to adjust your diet by introducing the necessary foods into your diet. Secondly, you can take special medications.

Naturally, every normal person will be more interested in a method for increasing melanin based on natural ingredients. In this case, it is important to know which foods to add to your daily diet. It is worth noting that melanin is found not only in healthy foods, but also in tasty ones.

First of all, all products containing vitamin B10 stimulate the process of melanin formation in the body. This includes everything made from grains. Therefore, it does not hurt to eat baked goods, for the production of which wholemeal flour is used. Also, a large amount of this substance is found in animal liver.

If a lack of melanin is detected, it would be advisable to rely on all exotic seafood, including shrimp and any fish. Chocolate products containing cocoa beans will also help produce brown pigment. They contain mineral salts and copper, and these elements allow the substance to accumulate from the body’s reserves.

If you want to maintain your health, you need to eat fish dishes, as well as red meat, which contains tyrosine. This component ensures the timely formation of melanin in the body, so it would be right to allow yourself to eat rare steak more often.

Animal products are very important in combating this problem. All this is due to the fact that they contain one very important mineral - copper. Despite the fact that the body needs very little of this element, copper is capable of producing not only the necessary brown pigment, but also helps in the formation of elastin, a protein that provides skin elasticity.

Oysters and meat by-products, as well as edible shellfish, are rich in copper. Other foods that stimulate melanin formation include chicken, fish, turkey, and dairy products such as milk and cheese.

Foods such as all types of legumes, soy and nuts are also responsible for maintaining the balance of melanin in the body. Date fruits, which contain tryptophan, which is responsible for stimulating the processes of pigment production, are also extremely useful for this problem.

To solve the problem of lack of an essential substance, it is worth remembering the B vitamins, as well as E, C and A, without which it is difficult to imagine a full-fledged existence. To maintain health, it is important to consume beta-carotene in the form of carrots, tomatoes and other orange-red vegetables and fruits.

By adding such products to your diet, you will be able to notice how the shade of your tan changes. It will acquire a pleasant bronze hue, and freckles will shine brighter in the sun. At the same time, the body's defenses will be activated due to the effects of melanin.

If things are really bad with the presence of melanin and I reach critical levels, it is necessary to introduce an artificial supplement along with food. This medicinal product will contain melanotan, which is available only with a doctor's prescription.

You can use another alternative option. Considering that the active production of melanin occurs under the sun's rays, you need to be in the fresh air more often. Regular walks under the gentle sun in the morning or evening will also help to enhance the formation of pigment in the skin. This method is in no way inferior in effectiveness to the food products mentioned above.

With age, hormonal imbalances are also observed, which can cause melanin deficiency. But, unfortunately, the synthetic hormone melanocortin, which affects melanin production, has not been synthesized, so it is necessary to increase the level through hormones naturally. It is very important to be in a good mood, eat right and be outdoors more often to boost immunity and restore melanin balance.

The group “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” I remember, sang that “girls are different: black, white, red,” but, unfortunately, they never revealed to us the secret of the different colors of human individuals.

Let's fill this gap by talking about a special pigment - melanin, because it mainly determines the color of our skin, hair and even eyes. He gives us both the coveted tan and unwanted freckles, moles and other color marks on the body.

Black Mark

Mysterious melanin (from the Greek mélas, genitive mélanos - black) is nothing more than an amorphous suspension of polymer compounds that colors the tissues of animals, plants, fungi and even microorganisms. Despite the obvious name, melanin comes in different colors: black - eumelanin, brown - phacomelanin, yellow - pheomelanin. These melanins determine the dark color of beans and grape seeds; cause banana skins to turn brown and peeled potatoes to turn black; paint the wings of various insects, fish scales and cuttlefish ink; give the characteristic colors to chaga and delicious black truffle.

In addition to melanins, skin color is also affected by:

reduced hemoglobin - gives the skin a bluish, even cyanotic tint;
oxygenated hemoglobin – gives the skin a reddish tint;
Carotenoids – give the skin a yellow-orange tint.

In humans, as in other vertebrates, melanins are formed in special starfish-like cells - melanocytes, located in the basal layer of the epidermis, and are deposited in the form of granules in which the pigments are associated with protein. Melanocytes, through their processes, inject grains of melanin into the cells of the upper layer of skin (cortical layer of hair, iris of the eye), and determine its color.

It is believed that the complex process of melanin formation begins with the oxidation of the amino acid tyrosine (it is always stored in the body) under the influence of a special enzyme tyrosinase. (However, some researchers are convinced that melanin can be formed without the participation of enzymes). As a result, the amino acid dihydroxyphenylalanine, or DOPA (the precursor of adrenaline), is first formed, then the DOPA molecules, in turn, are oxidized, and after a series of complex transformations we obtain melanin. This entire process is regulated by special (melanocyte-stimulating) hormones of the pituitary gland.

Be careful, it is freshly painted!

Melanin in the skin is produced mainly in the sun, and its main function is considered to be the protection of tissues from dangerous ultraviolet rays. Our favorite tan is a natural shield from harsh radiation. Therefore, it is not surprising that in some parts of the world, where the star called the Sun is most active, people have acquired a kind of “permanent tan” that is inherited. If the fair-skinned peoples of Europe have single granules of melanin in the epidermis, then among African blacks, Papuans, Melanesians or, say, Australians, it is completely filled with them. In dark-skinned people, even the lips have a dark, bluish tint due to the presence of melanin in the mucous membrane, which in light-skinned people is completely devoid of pigment.

Hair color determined by the amount of melanin in their cortex. Dark hair has a lot of pigment; it can even penetrate into the core of the hair. Light hair has not only fewer granules, but they are also smaller in size, and diffuse (non-granular) melanin gives the hair a red tint.

Iris color also depends on the amount of melanin and the depth of its location. If the pigment is contained only in the fourth and fifth layers, then, shining through the colorless layers of the iris, it gives the eyes a blue or cyan color. If there is melanin in the front layers, then the eyes will be brown or yellow. If melanin is unevenly distributed in the anterior layers of the iris, then the eyes turn out to be yellow-brown-blue, gray or green.

In addition to multi-colored people, there are also individuals who are literally colorless - albinos (Latin albus - white). These are people with a hereditary disorder: melanin biosynthesis simply does not occur in them. Because of this, most albinos are not only very sensitive to the sun, but also have problems with vision and hearing and have weakened immunity.

Who needs it?

When we all go extinct like the dinosaurs, there will be cockroaches and mushrooms left in the world, all thanks to melanin. It is known that black cockroaches survive even in a nuclear reactor; they are saved by a dark pigment. It turns out that it is capable of not only “filtering” the sun’s rays, but also protecting organisms from very serious doses of radiation.

When pregnant rats were exposed to radiation, those that simultaneously received melanin with food not only did not die, but also remained in full health, and the DNA of the offspring was also intact. Rats, deprived of melanin, died along with their cubs.

Melanin nutrition

We often hear about the dangers of coffee, tea, chocolate and cocoa. However, you should not completely abandon these products, if only because they contain such valuable melanin. And if we also have a cup of tart drink with prunes, blueberries or dark grapes, we can assume that we have good insurance against cancer, sunburn and the effects of radiation.

Moreover, mushrooms were discovered at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant whose melanin not only protects from radiation, but even helps them process it into energy. At the fourth power unit, a phenomenon called radiotropism was even recorded - by analogy with heliotropism: if sunflowers turn towards the sun, then these mushrooms grew towards the source of radiation. In experiments that completely deprived the mushrooms of nutrients and other energy sources, the mushrooms actually lived on radiation alone, continuing to produce melanin even under such extreme conditions. It is possible that similar mechanisms may be activated in other organisms.

In addition, scientists vying with each other to claim that melanin can rejuvenate, remove heavy metal salts and toxins (and, therefore, treat various poisonings), helps with alcoholism and drug addiction, and stops the growth of malignant tumors. In short, melanin is almost a panacea. However, no contraindications were identified.

In principle, scientists have already learned not only to synthesize melanin, but also to extract it from animal and plant materials, mushrooms. Independently of each other, Belarusian and Russian scientists managed to obtain melanin from horse manes and tails, from plant waste from agriculture and microbiological fungi. However, to put its production on stream, apparently, it will not come soon enough.

And we have spots on us

Melanin is distributed unevenly on the skin: the extensor (outer) surfaces of the arms and legs are always darker than the flexor ones, and the back is more colored than the chest and abdomen. The palms and soles are generally light, even on the very best dark-skinned people. In addition, it happens that melanin forms either dark clumps or “bald spots”. Sometimes it can be very attractive and piquant, sometimes, on the contrary, ugly. How does this happen, how harmful or useful is it, safe or dangerous?

Freckles, or ephelides(Greek: “sun spots”) are most often inherited and occur in people with red or fair hair. They usually find shelter on the nose, cheeks, temples, forearms, hands and are especially noticeable and numerous in the spring and summer. Freckles first appear at the age of 3-5 years, and behave especially aggressively during puberty.

Age spots, or lentigo- as a rule, multiple round or elongated, flat or slightly convex spots of different sizes (from a few millimeters to three centimeters in diameter) and color (from light beige to dark brown). Most often found on open areas of the body in older people. In young people, lentigo usually indicates congenital diseases of internal organs.

Melanin addicts

Adherents of a thick layer of melanin, trying to sunbathe as much as possible all year round, are already recognized as sick people.

“Tanorexia” (from the English tan - tan) is considered a dangerous mania. According to experts, it affects mainly teenage girls 13-16 years old from not the hottest countries.

In the fight against tanorexia, the UK has banned visits to solariums for teenagers under 16, and many states in America require children to have written parental permission. But tanning in moderation is only beneficial.

Chloasma- symmetrically located spots from dark yellow to dark brown with sharply defined edges. Chloasma most often occurs on the forehead, bridge of the nose, temples, upper lip, chin, sometimes around the nipples, along the midline of the abdomen, and on the genitals. Very often, chloasma appears in the first months of pregnancy and disappears after childbirth, but sometimes it persists for a long time. In addition, chloasma may be associated with taking hormonal contraceptives or signal diseases of the female genital area, liver, gallbladder, gastrointestinal tract, or even infection with worms. In summer, chloasma is usually more noticeable, and in winter it can almost completely disappear.

Vitiligo- an exception case, these are not hyperpigmented, but, on the contrary, depigmented areas of the skin, white spots with torn edges. This is a specific disease that occurs due to the fact that in some areas of the skin the melanocytes lack the enzyme tyrosinase. The exact causes of vitiligo are unknown; genetic and neuroendocrine factors may be concomitant - mental trauma, dysfunction of the adrenal glands, thyroid and buttocks. Vitiligo is more common in women and is difficult to treat. Usually, medications are prescribed that increase the skin's sensitivity to ultraviolet rays, followed by sunbathing.

Moles or nevi– the most common type of skin hyperpigmentation. These are solid dark spots that can be located on any part of the body, sometimes they are convex and “loose”, and more noticeable hairs can grow on them than on the surrounding skin. Some moles live with us from birth, but most appear throughout life. By the way, “congenital” moles are considered the safest.

Also, age spots can remain at the site of burns, injuries, injections and insect bites, or, say, after hives.

Some experts (mainly reflexologists) argue that hyperpigmentation in all of these and the above cases not only helps diagnose existing or previously experienced problems by the body, is a visible reminder of them, but also protects weak organs. In their opinion, moles, freckles and other spots are located on projection points of particularly frail organs and therefore protect the latter with redoubled force. It is no coincidence that often after recovery from a particular disease, age spots disappear on their own without a trace. So many doctors advise, unless absolutely necessary, to “not pester” moles and freckles - let them live!

Melanin and melatonin

In common parlance, the pigment melanin is often confused with the pineal gland hormone melatonin, which inhibits the production of melanin. It is thanks to melatonin in the fall, when the days become shorter, that some animals change their fur to a lighter one, and human individuals turn unsightly pale. This process has a reasonable explanation. The meaning of such molting is not only that both the hunter and the game merge with the snowdrifts, but also that the skin (or fur) with melanin in low light is not able to “swallow” the amount necessary (in particular, for the production of vitamin D) ultraviolet.

At the same time, melatonin, which is produced only in the dark and is a natural sleep aid, regulates sleep and wakefulness, even with a sharp change in time zones. It also regulates the activity of the cardiovascular and immune systems. The main thing is to sleep at night, behind drawn curtains or in a special dark bandage and without any cozy “night lights”.

What is characteristic: describing the incredible benefits of melatonin, scientists attribute to it almost the same spectrum of action as its “antagonist” melanin - protection against radiation and free radicals, rejuvenation of the body, fight against Parkinson's disease and cancer tumors. This is the paradox.

Veronica Gommerstadt