Everyone loves perfectly tanned skin. A question must have popped into your mind that why in the first place our skin gets tanned? Let’s find out its answer.
Our skin has melanocytes that mean melanin-producing cells. When it is continuously exposed to the sun, it makes these cells migrate towards the skin surface and produce melanin pigment. This melanin pigment absorbs the UV radiations from the sun and acts as a protective shield, preventing those harmful radiations from penetrating deep into the skin tissues. Hence melanin is a photo-protector produced as a result of the body’s defense mechanism. Raised melanin production results in the darkening of the skin, which we call tanning.
So melanin production or tanning is the body’s defense against the damaging effect of the sun. Depending on the skin type and color, the number of melanocytes and their ability to produce the melanin varies. Higher the number of melanocytes, the darker the skin gets in the sun and the lesser the damage.
People with phototype zero lack melanocytes. That’s why they get easily sunburnt when exposed to the sun. They are often termed, albino. People with phototype 6 already have brown skin, so their skin will get darker but with little to no damage to the skin.
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About the Author: Dr. Iqra Mubashar is a registered Pharmacist originally from Pakistan, Lahore. She has earned her pharmacy degree from the University of veterinary and animal sciences, Lahore. She has completed her internship as a trainee from Children hospital, Lahore. She has completed her research work in clinical pharmacy and pharmaceutics. She has worked as a healthcare documentation head in Al-Qasim enterprises, Islamabad. She has specialized in prescription handling, drugs information, literature research, patient counseling and pharmaceutical care plans. Her research work on coronavirus is under publication.
