What Causes Skin Tone

Skin whitening is the process of lightening the skin tone. Whitening has been popular in some cultures for hundreds of years. You might say it is the opposite of tanning, which was popular in recent decades in the United States.

**Skin Tone-Color

The skin’s tone or color is due to a pigment called melanin, which is produced by specialized cells in the deepest of the skin’s layers. The specialized cells are called melanocytes. They are located near the mother cells, which are responsible for replacing all the cells in the skin’s outer layers.

Finger-like projections called dendrites infuse newly produced cells with melanin. The amount of melanin injected into the cell depends primarily on one’s exposure to sunlight. UV rays from the sun are mainly what stimulate melanin production, although a certain amount will always be produced because of a person’s ethnic background.

Other things that can stimulate melanin production include hormones and toxins. Some toxins are found in popular skincare products. Even products designed for skin lightening can sometimes have the opposite effect.

**Sun Effect

How a person will react to sunlight, toxins or even seemingly safe cosmetic ingredients is hard to predict. Some skin whitening products are safe for all complexion types. Others might not be.

The European Union has gone so far as to ban one of the paraben preservatives, because it is known to cause hyperpigmentation. Suppose you chose a product to lighten your complexion and it was preserved with that paraben. There are no specific regulations regarding these products. It is up to the consumer to protect themselves.

That brings us to the subject of why you have skin tone. That is to say, what purpose does it serve?

Melanin provides protection against UV radiation. It is more effective than any sunscreen known to man. It diffuses UV radiation and turns it into harmless heat. Some scientists believe it has antioxidant activity, although that has been difficult to prove.

People whose bodies lack the ability to produce melanin are known as albinos. Their white skin is easily burned. Their eyes are very sensitive to sunlight. Their eyes and hair lack melanin, too.

**Cancer Risk

Albinos and people with fair-skinned complexions have an increased risk of skin cancer. Dark-skinned individuals are unlikely to have that type of cancer. So, you might say that melanin helps to protect against cancer. But don’t assume that tanning provides the same anti-cancer benefit.

Some skin lightening creams have been associated with an increased risk of cancer, specifically those containing hydroquinone. The ingredient has been banned from cosmetics by the European Union, even though researchers are unsure of why the use of hydroquinone is accompanied by an increased risk of cancer.

It could simply be due to the person’s increased exposure to sunlight or increased sensitivity that occurs after the complexion becomes lighter. Hydroquinone might not be a carcinogen, but it has been known to cause the appearance of dark patches. It is also an irritant, so it’s not particularly safe.

** Hydroquinone Be Cautious

Now that you know a little more about the purpose of melanin and the risks of some skin whitening compounds, you might be ready to learn how to safely and effectively inhibit melanin production. That is the subject of my next article - How to Lighten Your Skin Tone.