Skin color
Skin color
Skin color (pronounced: /ˈskɪn ˈkʌlər/) refers to the varying shades of pigmentation in the skin, primarily determined by the skin's content of melanin, carotene, and blood flow. The term is often associated with human phenotypic variation in skin tone.
Etymology
The term "skin color" is derived from the Old English words "scinn" (meaning skin) and "colur" (meaning color).
Variations in Skin Color
Skin color can range from very pale to very dark, depending on how much melanin the body makes. The more melanin, the darker the skin. Melanin is produced by cells called melanocytes and is the primary determinant of skin color.
Other factors that can affect skin color include exposure to the sun, which can increase melanin production and darken the skin, and certain medical conditions, such as jaundice, which can cause the skin to appear yellowish.
Related Terms
- Melanin: A pigment that determines the color of the skin, hair, and eyes.
- Carotene: A pigment found in the skin that contributes to its color.
- Melanocytes: Cells in the skin that produce melanin.
- Phenotypic variation: Observable differences in physical characteristics between individuals of the same species.
- Jaundice: A medical condition that causes the skin and the whites of the eyes to appear yellow.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Skin color
- Wikipedia's article - Skin color
This WikiMD article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski