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Skin Color - Keep Your Skin Young Looking With Even Skin Color

By CD Mohatta

You envy those who have an even skin tone, with no spots, pigmentation or aberrations on their skin. You wonder why some people are blessed with a flawless skin color? Melanocytes are the answer. To find out how you can get an even skin tone that will be the envy of others, you will need to know more about skin color and how it produces defects.

Skin color is because of pigments that are microscopic in size. They are called melanin. If this melanin is evenly spread over your face, you will get an even tone. Even otherwise, you find different skin tone on your body. Some areas are darker in color while some are lighter. Those who develop tan can also see the difference in color of their cloth protected skin and unprotected skin. This is all because of change in melanin density over different spots. This microscopic melanin must be understood to get a complexion you would love.

Lets begin.

Skin Color> Melanin Formation>

Melanin, as we have seen in the overview, consists of microscopic pigment particles that give the skin its color. Melanin also defends the skin against sun damage. As the sun rays strike our body, the UV rays begin damaging the skin and produce more free radicals. Melanin stops the damage to the skin by sun. It helps us fight skin cancer.

Melanin is formed by melanocytes - the cells that are scattered in the last layer of the epidermis. This layer is also called the basal layer. Melanocytes manufacture melanin and send it across to other parts of skin in a pack. This pack is called melanosome. The skin cells absorb these melanosomes and melanin is extracted. Melanin surrounds the DNA in the nucleus of the cell and protects the cell against sun. Sounds confusing? Let us only remember that melanocytes form melanin and this pigment gives color to the skin and protects it from sun.

In this part of the article we will find out about various skin color problems and treatment. With change in melanocyte distribution in the skin, you get many discolored spots and pigmentation problems. You may also get the problem of loosing pigments from skin, as happens in vitiligo.

More pigments cause different skin problems. Some of them are:

Moles,Liver Spots,Freckles,PIH, andMelasma.Sun exposure accentuates all of these problems. As you know, sun makes skin produce more melanin and that increases darkening problems.

Skin Color> Bleaching>

What about bleaching of the skin discoloration? Here we have to address two concerns:
1) Stopping formation of new melanocytes at the pigmented spot, and2) Removing the existing color on the pigmented spot.

Scientists have found that an enzyme called tyrosinase activates the production of melanin. This enzyme activity must be stopped on the discolored spot so that more melanin is not formed there. The common bleaching agents that help to stop formation of new melanin, are discussed below.

Currently the US FDA recognizes only hydroquinone as a bleaching agent. Other ingredients used in bleaching creams are called brighteners, lighteners, etc. Some of the common ingredients that can be used to stop further melanin getting produced are hydroquinone, kojic acid, and azelaic acid. Research is being conducted on many other molecules and some of them are getting incorporated in bleaching formulations.

The second problem, as we said is to remove the existing excess melanin. This can be done by exfoliating the skin and bringing fresh skin in its place. For that AHAs and tretinoin are commonly used.

You should consult your doctor and use a formulation that will not only remove the existing color, but also stop further color getting added. There are many formulations available and your doctor is the best person to address this. Take care that you don't use any product that irritates your skin and also avoid application on normal skin.

This article is only for informative purposes. This article is not intended to be a medical advise and it is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your doctor for your medical concerns. Please follow any tip given in this article only after consulting your doctor. The author is not liable for any outcome or damage resulting from information obtained from this article.

DoctorGoodSkin.com is a popular skin care guide where you can find a lot of information, articles and tips about acne, skin care, STDs, skin diseases and conditions, skin treatments, procedures, skin care products, etc. If you love solving quizzes and tests, visit funquizcards. Friendster users, click Friendster Layouts

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posted by Cheryl Levesque @ 12:51 PM