Skin Color

Humans and animals alike come on such a wide variety of colors. Not just white, black, and brown. There are so many different shades in between, all accessable. There is: Light, dark, plain, or freckly skin; black, brunette, blonde, auburn, red, and white hair; and blue, green, hazel, amber and brown eyes. All colors that deal with the body are due to melanin. Melanin is solely a pigment, which is derivative of the amino acid tyrosine. There are 3 types of natural melanins: eumelanin, pheomelanin, and neuromelanin. Both chemical composition and physical properties differ between the 3. As melanin affects humans hair and skin, it affects and animals fur and skin. The more melanin present, the darker the color becomes. For instance, a dog with brown eyes, black fur, and brown skin, has a lot of melanin. A dog that has blue eyes, white fur, and light skin, has little melanin present. The sun, or ultraviolet rays increase the number of melanin cells. That is why we tan. The condition where there is absolutely no melanin cells present in the body is albino. The skin is white, and the eyes are pink, and the body can burn easily. Most albino beings don't live very long, especially horses. Albino horses will die within one week of birth.