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June 12, 1972, Vol 220, No. 11 >
ARTICLE | June 12, 1972

The Enigmas of Pigmentation FREE

Manuel Francisco Allende, MD
[+] Author Affiliations

Read at the 23rd annual meeting of the Pacific Dermatological Association, Guadalajara, Mexico, Oct 22, 1971.

Reprint requests to 490 Post St, San Francisco 94102 (Dr. Allende).


JAMA. 1972;220(11):1443-1447. doi:10.1001/jama.1972.03200110025005
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References

Melanin pigmentation plays an important part in adaptation to the environment. It protects against the carcinogenic effects of actinic radiation. As man migrated away from the tropics, the lightening of the species might have been due to a decreased need for this protection as well as to the need of a lighter skin to allow proper synthesis of vitamin D. New adaptations to sunnier climates might be accompanied by reverse darkening. The reason for the darkening of hair from infancy into adulthood needs studying as well as the differences in texture and coloring between scalp and beard hair. The sociological implications of skin pigmentation are serious. Sufferers from pigmentary disturbances need strong emotional support in addition to the standard forms of treatment.

REFERENCES

1 +
Daniels F Jr, Post PW, Johnson BE:  The role of pigment in the evolution of human races , in Riley V (ed): Pigment Cells , to be published.
2 +
Szabo G, Gerald AB, Pathak MA, et al:  Racial differences in human pigmentation of the ultrastructural level , abstracted. J Cell Biol 30(pt (2) ):132, 1968;.
3 +
Griffin JH: Black Like Me . Boston, Houghton-Mifflin Co, 1961;.
4 +
Coon CS: The Origin of Races . New York, Alfred A Knopf, 1962;.
5 +
Montagu A: The Concept of Race . London, Collier Books, 1964;.
6 +
Dobshansky, cited by Mead M, et al: Science and the Concept of Race . New York, Columbia University Press, 1968;, p 165.
7 +
Rook A, Wilkinson DS:  The prevalence, incidence and ecology of diseases of the skin , in Rook A, Wilkinson DS, Ebling FJG (eds): Textbook of Dermatology . Philadelphia, Blackwell Scientific Publications, F A Davis Co, 1968;, pp 14-23.
8 +
Wasserman HP;  Melanin pigmentation and the environment , in Simons RDGP, Marshall J (eds): Essays on Tropical Dermatology . Amsterdam, Excerpta Medica Foundation, 1969;, pp 7-16.
9 +
Breathnach AS:  Normal and abnormal melanin pigmentation of the skin , in Wolman W (ed): Pigments in Pathology . New York, Academic Press Inc, 1969;, pp 354-394.
10 +
Stout DB:  Further notes on albinism among the San Blas Cuna, Panama . Amer J Phys Anthrop 4:483-490, 1946;.
11 +
Aceves-Ortega R:  Cancer de la piel . Dermatología (Mex) 14:354-376, 1970;.
12 +
Murray FG:  Pigmentation, sunlight and nutritional disease . Amer Anthrop 36:438-445, 1934;.
13 +
Loomis WF:  Skin pigment regulation of vitamin D biosynthesis in man . Science 157:501-506, 1967;.
14 +
Geller I:  Ethanol preference in the rat as a function of photoperiod . Science 173:456-458, 1971;.
15 +
Lerner AB, Case JD, Takahashi Y, et al:  Isolation of melatonin, the pineal gland factor that lightens melanocytes . J Amer Chem Soc 80:2587, 1958;.
16 +
Wagatsuma H:  The social perception of skin color in Japan , in Franklin JH (ed): Color and Race . Boston, Houghton Mifflin, 1968;, pp 129-165.
17 +
Charles A, De Anfrasio R: The History of Hair . New York, Bonanza Books, 1970;.
18 +
Quevedo WC Jr, Szabó G, Virks J, et al:  Influence of age and ultraviolet light on the populations of dopa and melanocytes in human skin . J Invest Derm 52:287-290, 1969;.
19 +
Steggerda M:  Change in hair color with age . J Hered 32:402-403, 1941;.
20 +
Blois MS:  Vitamin D, sunlight and natural selection . Science 159:652, 1968;.
21 +
Lerner AB:  On the etiology of vitiligo and gray hair . Amer J Med 51:141-147, 1971;.
22 +
Gramont S de: The French, Portrait of a People . New York, G P Putnam's Sons, 1969;.
23 +
Rush B:  On the origin of black color , in Ruchames L: Racial Thought in America . New York, Grosset and Dunlap, 1970;.
24 +
Fitzpatrick TB, Arndt KA, Clark WH, Jr, et al: Dermatology in Internal Medicine . New York, McGraw-Hill Book Co, 1970;, pp 1629-1630.

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Country-Specific Mortality and Growth Failure in Infancy and Yound Children and Association With Material Stature

Use interactive graphics and maps to view and sort country-specific infant and early dhildhood mortality and growth failure data and their association with maternal

1 +
Daniels F Jr, Post PW, Johnson BE:  The role of pigment in the evolution of human races , in Riley V (ed): Pigment Cells , to be published.
2 +
Szabo G, Gerald AB, Pathak MA, et al:  Racial differences in human pigmentation of the ultrastructural level , abstracted. J Cell Biol 30(pt (2) ):132, 1968;.
3 +
Griffin JH: Black Like Me . Boston, Houghton-Mifflin Co, 1961;.
4 +
Coon CS: The Origin of Races . New York, Alfred A Knopf, 1962;.
5 +
Montagu A: The Concept of Race . London, Collier Books, 1964;.
6 +
Dobshansky, cited by Mead M, et al: Science and the Concept of Race . New York, Columbia University Press, 1968;, p 165.
7 +
Rook A, Wilkinson DS:  The prevalence, incidence and ecology of diseases of the skin , in Rook A, Wilkinson DS, Ebling FJG (eds): Textbook of Dermatology . Philadelphia, Blackwell Scientific Publications, F A Davis Co, 1968;, pp 14-23.
8 +
Wasserman HP;  Melanin pigmentation and the environment , in Simons RDGP, Marshall J (eds): Essays on Tropical Dermatology . Amsterdam, Excerpta Medica Foundation, 1969;, pp 7-16.
9 +
Breathnach AS:  Normal and abnormal melanin pigmentation of the skin , in Wolman W (ed): Pigments in Pathology . New York, Academic Press Inc, 1969;, pp 354-394.
10 +
Stout DB:  Further notes on albinism among the San Blas Cuna, Panama . Amer J Phys Anthrop 4:483-490, 1946;.
11 +
Aceves-Ortega R:  Cancer de la piel . Dermatología (Mex) 14:354-376, 1970;.
12 +
Murray FG:  Pigmentation, sunlight and nutritional disease . Amer Anthrop 36:438-445, 1934;.
13 +
Loomis WF:  Skin pigment regulation of vitamin D biosynthesis in man . Science 157:501-506, 1967;.
14 +
Geller I:  Ethanol preference in the rat as a function of photoperiod . Science 173:456-458, 1971;.
15 +
Lerner AB, Case JD, Takahashi Y, et al:  Isolation of melatonin, the pineal gland factor that lightens melanocytes . J Amer Chem Soc 80:2587, 1958;.
16 +
Wagatsuma H:  The social perception of skin color in Japan , in Franklin JH (ed): Color and Race . Boston, Houghton Mifflin, 1968;, pp 129-165.
17 +
Charles A, De Anfrasio R: The History of Hair . New York, Bonanza Books, 1970;.
18 +
Quevedo WC Jr, Szabó G, Virks J, et al:  Influence of age and ultraviolet light on the populations of dopa and melanocytes in human skin . J Invest Derm 52:287-290, 1969;.
19 +
Steggerda M:  Change in hair color with age . J Hered 32:402-403, 1941;.
20 +
Blois MS:  Vitamin D, sunlight and natural selection . Science 159:652, 1968;.
21 +
Lerner AB:  On the etiology of vitiligo and gray hair . Amer J Med 51:141-147, 1971;.
22 +
Gramont S de: The French, Portrait of a People . New York, G P Putnam's Sons, 1969;.
23 +
Rush B:  On the origin of black color , in Ruchames L: Racial Thought in America . New York, Grosset and Dunlap, 1970;.
24 +
Fitzpatrick TB, Arndt KA, Clark WH, Jr, et al: Dermatology in Internal Medicine . New York, McGraw-Hill Book Co, 1970;, pp 1629-1630.

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