How does melanin protect us

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Most know it to be the substance in our body that results in the colour of our skin. And while this is somewhat accurate, there is more to melanin than just determining where we fall on the skin tone spectrum. There is, in fact, a particular link between melanin, sun exposure and skin cancer.

This link has been studied in the past and still remains a hot topic of research from all over the world. While the exact details of this link between sunlight, melanin and cancer are still being uncovered and debated, let us take a look at the research findings so far.

That said, in human beings, it has some very specific roles. One of these roles is, of course, providing colour to not just our skin but also our hair and eyes. However, another role that the pigment melanin plays is that of protecting our skin against the harmful effects of sunlight.

Sunlight is composed of ultraviolet ie. Out of these two, UVB rays are generally of shorter wavelength and only reaches the top layer of the skin epidermis.

UVA rays have a longer wavelength and can reach deeper into the skin dermis. This is why our body requires a component like melanin. Cells in our skin called melanocytes increase their production of melanin in response to overexposure to sunlight. The body has a natural line of defense against the harmful UV light.

And that's called melanin. Wondering what is the function of melanin or how does melanin protect the skin? We have the answers about what it is and its main function as a defender of radiation exposure and UV protection. Melanin is simply a naturally occurring pigment in our skin. The skin cells that create melanin are called melanocytes.

Does every race have melanin and melanocytes? In fact, we all have the same amount of melanocytes, but some people have more melanin in their skin than others. The amount of melanin you make depends on your genes. If you have a lot of melanin, it's likely that your skin, eyes, and hair will be darker. What exactly is the melanin function and what does it do other than pigment our skin?

There is evidence that in addition to its photoprotective qualities, melanin can also be toxic to cells grown in culture dishes after UV exposure. Specifically, melanin can produce reactive oxygen compounds that can lead to a break in a single strand of DNA, and pheomelanin can generate hydrogen peroxide which may cause mutations. Whether this happens in human skin and whether it impacts cancer is unknown at this time.

In recent years, melanin research has expanded from studies aimed at understanding how melanin protects us from UV light to a variety of applied disciplines including materials science, drug delivery, and electronics.

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Why is melanin important? How does melanin protect us from UV rays and skin cancer? How are race, melanin, and skin cancer connected? How does UV light impact skin pigmentation? Sign up for emails from SkinCancer.

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