Open AccessInfluence of Ethnicities and Skin Color Variations in Different Populations: A Review
Author(s) -
Piyu Parth Naik,
Syed Nadir Farrukh
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
skin pharmacology and physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.703
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1660-5535
pISSN - 1660-5527
DOI - 10.1159/000518826
Subject(s) - keratinocyte , melanin , skin cancer , human skin , sunlight , vitamin d and neurology , skin color , skin type , dark skin , dermatology , ultraviolet b , biology , ultraviolet radiation , calcitriol , medicine , genetics , chemistry , endocrinology , cancer , cell culture , physics , astronomy , artificial intelligence , computer science , radiochemistry
Background: In the world scientific tradition, skin color is the primary physical characteristic used to divide humans into groups. Human skin has a wide range of tones and colors, which can be seen in a wide range of demographic populations. Many factors influence the color of people’s skin, but the pigment melanin is by far the most important. Melanin is produced by cells called melanocytes in the skin and is the primary determinant of skin color in people with darker skin. Indeed, >150 genes have now been identified as having a direct or indirect effect on skin color. Vitamin D has recently been discovered to regulate cellular proliferation and differentiation in a variety of tissues, including the skin. The mechanisms through which the active vitamin D metabolite 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D3 (or calcitriol) affects keratinocyte development are numerous and overlap with the mechanisms by which calcium influences keratinocyte differentiation. Ultraviolet (UV) is the most major modifiable risk factor for skin cancer and many other environmental-influenced skin disorders when it is abundant in the environment. Although the UV component of sunlight is known to cause skin damage, few researches have looked at the impact of non-UV solar radiation on skin physiology in terms of inflammation, and there is less information on the role of visible light in pigmentation. Summary: The quantity and quality of melanin are regulating by the expression of genes. The enzyme tyrosinase is primarily responsible for the genetic mechanism that controls human skin color. Genetics determines constitutive skin color, which is reinforced by facultative melanogenesis and tanning reactions. High quantities of melanin and melanogenic substances are typically accepted in darker skin to protect against UV radiation-induced molecular damage. Previous research has proposed that skin color variation is caused by a dynamic genetic mechanism, contributing to our understanding of how population demographic history and natural selection shape human genetic and phenotypic diversity. However, the most significant ethnic skin color difference is determined by melanin content. This current review aimed to assess the influence of skin color variations in skin structure and functions as well as difference in dermatological disease patterns. Also, this article reviewed several cases of skin color adaptation in different populations. Key Messages: Skin color impacts the composition and activity. Therefore, the contrast of dermatological ailments between distinct race-related categories is remarkable. Skin color adaptation is a challenging procedure. Refinement of skin color is an age-old craving of humans with ever-evolving drifts.