Getting a tan safely

How to Produce Melanin in Your Body

How to Produce Melanin in Your Body

Melanin is a natural substance produced by the body to create pigment in skin, hair and the iris of our eyes. Additionally, melanin protects the skin from UV rays and, when sun levels rise, our dermis darkens to give us that desirable suntan. If you want to treat a skin condition or darken your skin tone for cosmetic purposes, one should note that there are no artificial method tocreating melanin in the body. The only factors which affect melanin production are genetics, an adequate intake of vitamin D and exposure to ultraviolet rays.

Keep reading here at oneHOWTO and discover how to produce melanin in the body both effectively and, more importantly, safely.

You may also be interested in: Which Foods Increase Melanin Production

Stimulate melanin production safely

Before we can know how to produce more melanin in the body safely, we must understand what it is. Melanin determines our pigment and skin color. People with darker skin have more melanin and those with lighter skin have less. Melanin is also present in our hair and the irises in our eyes. People with albinism, for example, experience little to no pigment production, which is whyt they have very light skin, hair and eyes. The most important thing when it comes to producing melanin in the body is to, first and foremost, take care of your skin. If you have very light skin, you will need to be careful in the sun.

If you look at the diagram below, you will see how the melanocytes at the bottom of the epidermis produce melanin to create a darker skin pigmentation. The process by which melanin is made is called melanogenesis and the reason it exists is to protect the dermis (the lower level of skin) from harmful UV rays. UV rays come from the sun and although sunlight in small doses is good for us, especially for vitamin D production, it can also cause severe harm. Too much unprotected exposure to the sun can cause melanoma, otherwise referred to as skin cancer.

Melanin is produced to fight these UV rays. When melanin is produced, skin pigmentation darkens, but if not enough melanin is produced or you overexpose your skin to the sun, problems can arise. Melanin production in the body should, therefore, be done in a healthy way.

For more, we recommend reading our article where we discuss what is the function of melanin.

How to Produce Melanin in Your Body - Stimulate melanin production safely

Wear sunscreen outside

As you now know, melanin production can be activated externally through solar exposure. So, going out in the sun to produce melanin will be effective but not necessarily safe. To do so safely, there are certain precautions you will have to take. Depending on the color or darkness of your skin pigmentation, as well as sun intensity, you will need to choose an appropriate sunblock. The appropriate sunblock is measured in SPF (Sun Protection Factor) and there are different types for different purposes; oils, creams and sprays. To get a darker tan safely, avoid the sun between 1pm and 3pm when it is at its most intense. This may seem like the best time to produce melanin, but it is also the most dangerous.

It is not just melanoma or skin cancer which you need to be worried about, but oveerexposure to the sun can also cause unsightly skin blemishes and premature skin-ageing. Additionally, many believe that you only need to take care of your skin in summer, which is not the case. UV rays can also get through clouds on overcast days, therefore, you will also have to take care of your skin during winter.

For more, read how to choose the right SPF Sunscreen for your skin type.

How to Produce Melanin in Your Body - Wear sunscreen outside

Produce melanin with beta-barotene (ß-carotene)

While it is not scientifically clear whether vitamin A helps to produce melanin in the skin, it is known to help promote healthy skin cells by enabling them to mature and function properly. In this way, it can aid melanin production and also strengthen the skin, thereby potentially reducing the harmful impact of the sun. Beta-carotene is a precursor to vitamin A and it also aids in increasing skin pigmentation. Again, it won't technically produce melanin in the skin, but it will help make skin pigmentation healthier and warmer.

Studies have shown that eating vegetables makes can visibly improve skin condition and overall skin health. Taking beta-carotene, either through supplements or beta-carotene rich foods such as carrots, pumpkins, spinach, papayas, tomatoes, red peppers and melons, can help keep your skin healthy. This will, in turn, make it easier for you to get a sun-tan and sustain it.

For more, we recommend reading our article where we discuss how to tan your skin naturally.

How to Produce Melanin in Your Body - Produce melanin with beta-barotene (ß-carotene)

How to produce melanin in the skin with antioxidant-rich food

All foods rich in vitamin E either stimulate or aid in the production of melanin. Additionally, these foods are full of antioxidants and are effective when it comes to getting rid of free radicals in your dermis, thereby preventing skin-ageing. Free radicals are a normal part of most cellular processes in the body. However, over-production can cause detrimental effects, including cancer. This is why antioxidants and eating foods rich in antioxidants are key in controlling free radical production in the body.

Foods rich in antioxidants include vegetable oils (wheat oil, sunflower oil, soy, olive ...), green leaf vegetables, nuts (almonds, pine nuts, cashew nuts...), egg yolk and fruits like kiwi, mango, avocado, plums and grapes. Using vitamin E directly on the skin can also be very beneficial in melanin production or skin protection. For more, read about the best ways to apply Vitamin E to the skin.

How to Produce Melanin in Your Body - How to produce melanin in the skin with antioxidant-rich food

How can I produce more melanin with vitamin-rich food

Additional and essential vitamins which can help to stabilize melanin production in the body include vitamins B and D, which will both offer your skin protection against UV rays. Vitamin B can be found in dairy products, green vegetables, pulses, eggs, chicken and Brewer's yeast. Blue fish are also a great source of vitamin D. Healthy fatty acids like omega-3 are also incredibly beneficial. If you’re suffering from an omega-3 deficiency, we recommend eating more fish and nuts high in omega-3.

We suggest taking a look at our article where we list which foods increase melanin production.

How to Produce Melanin in Your Body - How can I produce more melanin with vitamin-rich food

Supplements for melanin in body

You can also resort to adding the aforementioned vitamins in the form of melanin supplements or melanin pills to your diet. L-Tyrosine and gingko biloba, are also great options when it comes to increasing the levels of melanin in your body.

You should, however, always consult a doctor before taking any type of supplement or melanin pills. There have been some studies, for example, that show that beta-carotene consumption for smoker can increase the risk of lung cancer.

Creams to put melanin back into skin

The cosmetic industry has created many creams and lotions that can help activate and produce melanin in skin. These creams often contain vitamin supplements which aim to get more melanin in your skin. They also can help maintain moisture which keeps skin healthy.

It’s important to note that not all of these products work, therefore, you should always check consumer guides beforehand. We recommendation consulting a dermatologist before purchasing any cream for your skin. A dermatologist will be able to recommend the most appropriate treatment for your skin type.

How to Produce Melanin in Your Body - Creams to put melanin back into skin

Melanin deficiency

Producing melanin will make your skin darker, but you need to be careful of both how you do it and what to do once you have it. People with darker skin are likely to develop vitamin D deficiencies if they are in areas with a lack of sunlight. People with lighter skin are naturally only able to produce a certain amount of melanin, therefore, pushing your body beyond these natural capabilities can be damaging. As always, if you are unsure of which course of action to take or are concerned about skin conditions, seek advice from a physician.

If you want to read similar articles to How to Produce Melanin in Your Body, we recommend you visit our Beauty & Personal Care category.

Tips

  • Use a sunless tanner that contains dihydroxyacetone (DHA) to help you achieve a darker skin tone without sun exposure. These products only temporarily affects the outermost layer of the skin and do not change the content of melanin in skin cells.
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15 comments
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Mrs moon shah
My son age is 9 and he is facing lack of melanin in skin and have white spots on face which food I give him for melanin level increases in Pakistan I also have medical treatment for him
Makiba
Melanin is also a bio transducer, semi-conductor, bioelectrical, it changes sound energy to light energy and a melanin molecule can generate enough heat to enhance and amplify chemical reactions, acting in essence like a metabolism stimulating battery.
sonia marie anguiano
News letter or receive your app
Vijendra adhikar
My child is being suffered from vitilgo ,it is first stage small patches on lips , how i prevent him from vitilgo to spread ? what are the vitamin supplement given him to stop the vitilgo and increase the melamine production in his skin ?
OneHowTo Editor
Take a look at this article as it may be useful for your child: https://beauty.onehowto.com/article/how-to-treat-vitiligo-at-home-7551.html

Apart from these dietary changes, I'd advise to work on relaxation and anti-stress techniques such as yoga or meditation too.

Hope this helps
Rating:
hassen
I am 20 but my heir going to very grey who can recover my heir (naturally)
Alice T Breeze
Greying is a natural process, though here are some ways to hide it if you wish to:http://beauty.onehowto.com/article/how-to-hide-grey-hair-at-home-5538.html
kAMAL
my father feed me with desi egg bhurji recipe daily while i was in 8th and my all/most hair turn white then they became black
Rating:
Christopher
The best thing you whites can is be yourself and stop trying to portray the people you hate because you know God made them (black) better and stronger against the elements than you all will ever be. White people are eventually going to be extinct because of our proximity to the sun. Why do you white fools think you have space station looking for planets you can live on further from the sun. Damn idiots. YOY WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO INCREASE SOMETHING THAT COMES FROM GOD THAT YOU ALL HAVE AN OBVIOUS GENETIC DEFICIENCY OF. #BLACKLIVESMATTER#BLACKSLIVELONGER#WEARECHOSEN#THESUNISMYFRIEND#NOSUNBURNNATION
mary rose
Lmao!!! That's why they always bitchin' about global warming..Let the sun shines on earth, nigga! ;)
Mixed Race
Complete racist, the only thing going extinct is your racism, anyone who approves is also the same animal, who projects filth into society. Perhaps you do a DNA test, I'm guessing you are not as "Pure" as you think you are. I am part black and disappointed.
Makiba
your not black, your posing because you hate that melanin helps folks in the world
Rating:
RAJAM
rajam is looking for creams to conceal vitiligo
Rating:
Oshea
I think you should be thoroughly honest and not partial. Melanin is the reason for the colour of skin but black people have the most. Scientists have said white people are mostly melanin deficient which makes them much more likely to get skin cancer from exposure to high levels of sun energy. Melanin also is responsible for everything you do as it is like the brains battery. People are fascinated about melanin and want it yet despise or ignore that blacks have the most of this. The study of 'chem' aka melanin is very interesting indeed. But, I understand why you would rather say a white person has sun sensitive skin and not melanin deficient skin.
Tee
The article stated that those with darker skin could have more of a chance at having a vitamin D deficiency. It's always something for some. None of us in this world have it all.
Darker skin happened naturally in sunnier areas and lighter skin in less sunny areas so that it was then easier for the vitamin D process.
Rating:
Kim McClounan
Just trying to find where I can get a golden tan with increasing the melanin an not small feckles. I am a strawberry blonde. A natural tanning pills without going orange. Never tried tanning pills. Have suffered sun spots from sun.
OneHowTo Editor
You should be extremely careful when exposing your skin to the sun, as having sun spots indicates that your skin is highly sensitive. Make sure you use high SPF sunscreen every time you sunbathe and start doing so for a short time (15 minutes) and slowly increase the amount of time you spend under the sun (never during 12 AM and 4 PM).
Tanning pills can help boost your melanin production, but will not prevent marks on your skin, so be careful.
Tee
Freckles are uneven pigment, dots of melanin. Using a starter, light sunless tanner, and more time outdoors could help to achieve a more all over look. Trying to increase melanin production could also help. I agree that sunscreens are still needed due to the environment and thus risk of skin cancer.
Rating:
May
Recently became aware of Melanin and it is so interesting..
Señorita Senior
For example if you were black and used a creamed soap which turned you white. And You would like to go back to the old days of being black ,What will you recommend me to do .Am frustrated my beauty is fading and am a lady.
mary rose
Go get yourself damn sun tan.
Not A Racist
"THE OLD DAYS OF BEING BLACK" ??? Exactly what does that mean? Sounds like your having an identity crisis. If you didn't want to be black then, don't want to be black now. My recommendation is learn to love yourself, the way God made you, and if you refuse to do that, then live with the circumstances you created. You sound like a racist. I'm just saying...
farad
how can increase melanin content of my body
OneHowTo Editor
Hi Farad,
You can follow the tips mentioned in this article to help your body produce more melanin. Moreover, here's an article on the best foods to increase melanin production: http://beauty.onehowto.com/article/which-foods-increase-melanin-production-2337.html
Alfie
I need help from my dark skin becsuse i got little white spot in my dark skin. How to get rid of the white spot in my dark skin?
OneHowTo Editor
You may want to visit a dermatologist so he or she can determine the reason for this white spot appearing and give you a proper diagnosis.
Hope this helps
Sally Kurait
Also Flax seed it shows good results on some people , reversing gray hair into natural color after couple months of using it in your diet , Chinese tea also reverse gray hair after couple months .
Vinay
Hiee..i am so much confused that what should i do now . My hairs had started turning white since last 2 years . Now i don't know what to do to make them Naturally Black again . Can anyone tell me how i can turn them black naturally . Just now someone tells me that an chemical named MELANIN is responsible for the color of hairs . So can anyone tell me how can i will be able to produce Melanin in my body so that my hairs can get Naturally Black again ? ....THANKYOU
Asante
Melanin only exist in black people.
OneHowTo Editor
Dear Asante,
All human beings have melanin, which is the reaction of amino acid tyrosine to oxidation and polymeriozation. The color of skin is determined by the amount of concentration of melanin pigments. Therefore, we can safely say your statement is not true.

Hope this helps.
Sally Kurait
I've heard the people who used molasses 2 table spoon in the day their gray hair reversed after 3 months of using it , that tells me , Molasses is rich in melanin , unfortunately i couldn't use it , the taste is terrible and i can't handle it , i wish you try it and tell me the results please . Thank you
mary rose
& so do asians.
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How to Produce Melanin in Your Body