Melanin is a term we often hear, but to say exactly what melanin is, it is believed that many babies do not know.
What is melanin?
Melanin is actually an amino acid derivative found in everyone's body. 20 to 25 years of age is the active stage of the formation of melanin precipitate, they exist in the bottom layer of the skin cells, also known as pigment mother cells. Secretion of chromoplast mai ning pigment, when ultraviolet rays on our skin, the skin will appear the condition of self-protection, mai ning pigment, motivated by the uv activate collaterals neuraminidase activity, to protect our skin cells. Dopamine is actually the precursor of melanin, which is oxidized by tyrosine and releases melanin. Melanin also moves through the cellular metabolism layer by layer, to the skin surface to form freckles, sunspots, black spots.
How does melanin make us black?
There are a lot of black cells in our basal layer, and when the skin is exposed to ultraviolet rays, they protect us. In melanin melanin cells exist in the body, the melanin corpuscle in complex under the catalysis of neuraminidase melanin formation, via the melanin cell dendritic protrusions corneous layer formation of cell membrane, cuticle is the outermost layers of the epidermis, so your skin is black.
What is the cause for producing melanin?
- Ultraviolet ray effect. When the skin is exposed to ultraviolet light, a brown pigment called malanine is produced. Malanine's original function was to protect the skin from uv rays, but when its protection was complete, it turned into dirt. When the body's metabolism is poor, some of the pigments will remain on the surface of the skin, forming dark spots.
- Lipid peroxide. Skin cells are especially prone to oxidation after being exposed to ultraviolet rays, which can create a harmful substance called lipid peroxide, which can also harm the dermis and cause color spots.
- Irregular life. Stress, partial food, lack of sleep and other bad habits of life, also make melanin increase. At 10 o 'clock in the evening, early 6 o 'clock is the optimal time for metabolism, so the person with unstable sleep time, skin metabolic rate is also not good, can cause melanin.
- Endocrine disorders. The luteinizing hormone produced during menstruation and the process of pregnancy make endocrine especially easy to be out of balance, it is the peak of melanin production, maintaining normal life habits, avoiding ultraviolet radiation is the best policy.
- Dietary factors. Vitamin C and vitamin E is the most effective improve the nutrition elements of dark spots, there are both prevention and reduction of melanin effect, also can help the growth of collagen, moisturize skin, and give play to the role of anti-oxidation, prevent premature aging of skin.
- PM2.5. Haze mainly includes sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and inhalable particulates. When sulfur dioxide is combined with nitrogen oxides, it can invade the pores of the skin, causing the accumulation of melanin, pigmentation and so on. Supplement more food containing vitamin D and glucomannan can promote skin metabolism and prevent melanin precipitation.
Actually can restrain the composition that melanin forms has very many kinds!
- Arbutin. It can significantly inhibit tyrosinase activity and reduce the accumulation of tyrosinase in the cortex, but it is difficult to metabolize in the body, just like the transluciferase, so it is not necessary to do well.
- Kojic acid. General extracted from penicillium and aspergillus filamentous fungi, effectively restrain tyrosinase activity, block or delay the melanin formation, combined with copper ions to lose its effect on the activation of tyrosinase.
- Licorice extract. Some also called light fruit licorice root, but also the most expensive nowadays active whitening ingredients, active ingredients is 40% light liquorice, under the condition of not poisonous to the cells attached on tyrosinase inhibition rate of 50%, it has been proved higher than that in the inhibition of hydroquinone 16 times, for the treatment of chloasma. Natural extraction is very safe, deserve to use for a long time, the desalination of general color spot should hold continuously 4-6 months, can have the effect that naked eye can see.