Have you ever wondered why you get bad sunburn during the summer? Why don't you burn at all when you have spent all day in the sun? Or why do you burn and then develop a tan a few days later? All these questions can be answered with one word - melanin. All our bodies produce melanin, however some of our bodies produce more than others. Continue reading this article to learn more about what melanin is, what does the sun do to our skin, why do we tan, and what Uzza Skincare product can help boost your melanin levels.
What is melanin?
Melanin is a broad term for a group of natural pigmentation found in most organisms. It is present in animals and human skin to varying degrees and is responsible for your unique eye, hair, and skin color! Melanin is a natural protector against ultraviolet (UV) sun rays. According to the American Cancer Society, people whose body produces more melanin in their skin will have a lower risk of sunburn and skin cancer. The simplest way to indicate if your body is releasing melanin is if your skin develops a tan, as developing a tan is the best way to protect itself from sun damage.
There have been no studies on treatment to increase melanin in your body, however there are ways to boost the melanin currently in your body. Eating certain nutrients may help the skin defend itself from UV damage and skin cancer. Vitamin A is important to melanin products and is essential to healthy skin. This type of nutrient is great for vision, growth, cell division, reproduction, and immunity. Additionally, Vitamin A contains antioxidants which helps protect skin cells against free radicals (atoms that can damage cells which cause illness and aging). Many vegetables contain antioxidants, such as broccoli, carrots, spinach, potatoes, etc.
What does the sun do to our skin?
Did you know our skin is the largest organ of our body? Often enough, we take our skin for granted and do not take care of it as often as we should. We know that not protecting our skin can cause precancerous and cancerous lesions. What many people don't know is that tanning can increase the aging process, which causes wrinkles, lines, dark spots, and moles/ brown spots. Over time the sun can cause serious damage such as rough scaly patches, discolored areas, irritating blotches and bumps, and much more. Yes, the sun can give our skin a nice bronze complexion however going tanning without sunscreen or reapplying sunscreen is dangerous not only for your skin, but your wellbeing.
How does our skin get tanned?
The sun contains two types of ultraviolet radiation that reach our skin, UVA and UVB. A simple way to tell the difference is that UVA makes people tan and UVB burns the upper layer of skin which causes sunburns. An easy way to remember the difference is between UVA and UVB - "B for burn". 95% of all the UV rays the sun shines makes its way to the earth's surface. The rays are even strong enough to reach our skin through glass. As previously mentioned, melanin is the body's way of protecting the skin from burning. People with dark skin tones are able to tan more deeply than people with lighter skin tones and their melanocytes produce more melanin.
Melanin helps develop your hair and skin color, the more melanin your body produces the darker your features are, and the opposite if your body does not produce enough. You have probably heard that redheads are more prone to sunburns, and that is true. People with red hair genes are less able to protect themselves from the sun's UV rays due to the amount of melanin their body produces. Again there is nothing you can do to increase the amount of melanin your body produces. All you can do is take care of your skin by avoiding burning and staying hydrated. Just because people don't burn it does not mean that they are also protected against skin cancer and other problems.
Uzza Skincare products that can help boost melanin
Open Sesame
Open Sesame facial cleanser has been formulated with sesame oil as a base and six other natural ingredients to end up with a clean, soft and flexible face. This product contains Butyrospermum Parkii extract (shea butter) that contains vitamin A. It is beneficial in healing skin irritations, neutralizing damage free radicals and improving collagen production. It has exceptional moisturizing abilities and is used to create ultra-rich lotions, creams and gels to soften the skin. Other ingredients including vitamin A are Persea Gratis oil (avocado), Rosmarinus Officianlis (rosemary) leaf extract, Helianthus Annuus (sunflower) seed oil, and Mentha Arvensis (wild mint) leaf oil.
Peri Banu
Peri Banu is a vegetable squalene based moisturizing cream that provides a continuous supply of moisture during the day or night. It is formulated with Edelweiss, a strong antioxidant containing natural metabolites that protect against UV rays and help fight free radicals produced by the metabolism and pollutants. Edelweiss protects the skin from external influences, stimulating cell regeneration.
Wonderful Lamp
Wonderful Lamp is an eye cream for a boost of freshness and radiance that reduces visible signs of aging, reduces puffiness and dark circles, and leaves skin looking brighter around the eye area. This product contains tocopherol, a fat soluble antioxidant naturally found in the skin containing vitamins C and E. It also protects against UVB rays.
Now that you have become an expert in all things melanin, a few reminders. UVA = good, and UVB = bad, so try your best not to burn this summer. Continue to apply and reapply sunscreen on all exposed areas of the skin to reduce the chances of skin cancer. Tanning is the best way to know if your skin is producing melanin, however, please take the proper precautions and not expose your skin to the sun's UV rays for too long. Always protect your skin from the sun, no matter the weather condition, as you don't want to have your skin look older than you are!
Discover more Uzza Skincare products to protect you from the effects of the sun here!