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Showing posts with the label albinos

AMAZING FACTS ABOUT ALBINISM

                                       While albinism is most perceptible among dark-skinned people, it is found among all nations, races, and peoples. It is estimated that albinism affects 1 out of every 20,000 persons. The defective genes for albinism can be passed on for generations without any of its telltale signs being manifest. Many attribute the word “albinism” to 17 th century Portuguese explorers. As they sailed along the West Africa coast, they sighted both black-skinned and white-skinned people. Assuming these represented two different races, they called the black Negroes and the white albinos –Portuguese for “black” and “white” respectively. For most light-skinned people, mild exposure to the sun results in a tan when a pigment called MELANIN is produced to protect the skin. OCULOCUTANEOUS albinism is one of the most common types. Melanin is missing from the skin, hair, and eyes. How does this affect the skin? Without pigment, an albino’s skin i