#warmskintone

Photo protection and/or UV filtration- The most important advantage of having large amounts of melanin in the skin is that it protects skin from the damaging impact of the sun. It guards the skin from short-term effects such as severesunburn. (Though despite melanin, the skin can burn under certain circumstances)

Resistance - Melanin offers resistance to heat or cold, as well as resistance to the activity of inorganic antimicrobial compounds thus improving natural overall health.

Low risk of cancer - Pigmentation has widely been viewed as photo protective largely because darkly pigmented skin is at substantially lower risk of developingskin cancer than is fair skin. Particularly the more common types known as basal and squamous cell skin cancers. The rate of skin cancer among African Americans, though significant, is many times lower than the rate for Whites. In the US some forms of skin cancer are “50 times” higher in Caucasians (lighter-skinned populations\ white people) than in African Americans. Also African Americans have a 13-fold lower incidence of melanoma (malignant tumor) than Caucasians do.

Protects the nervous system – Melanin acts as a free radical scavenger and has been shown to protect against ‘Cryptococcus neoformans’, a parasite of the central nervous system. Interestingly, it is known that Caucasians suffer from heightened rates of many diseases that affect the central nervous system. For example, Huntington’s disease, optic neuritis, Parkinson’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, PKU (Phenylketonuria), Anencephaly and Spinal bifida.

Immunity against diseases - In insects, melanin is known to protect against attack from disease, by engulfing and killing invading micro-organisms. Researchers now suggest that melanin mig ht have the same function in humans. And it might also explain why fair-skinned soldiers in humid jungle environments are three times more likely to contract serious skin diseases than their darker-skinned comrades.

Protection from bacterial infection – Melanin has properties to protect from bacterial infection. This is also believed to be the reason that melanization patterns among different parts of the body is  not just to protect from exposure to sunlight. For example, many parts of the body which are hardly ever exposed to sunlight, such as genitalia, throats and nasal passages are often packed with melanin cells and are hence darker than the rest of the body. They are sensitive areas and require protection from unwanted bacteria.

Makes you Look younger - Melanin has many significant health as well as beauty benefits. It guards our skin from long-term damage associated with aging -- like development of deep wrinkles, rough surface texture, and age spots (sometimes called liver spots). Women of color also have the advantage of possessing the naturally warm, glowing skin sought after by white women without having to spend hours tanning the skin at the beach or a tanning salon.

Disadvantages of too much melanin

It can’t all be good. A disadvantage in having more melanin is that it makes our skin more "reactive." That means almost any stimulus -- a rash, scratch, pimple, or inflammation -- may trigger the production of excess melanin, resulting in dark marks or patches on the skin.

Actresses proud of being dark

Bipasha Basu is one of the very few stars in Bollywood, who has never had any problem with her looks and appearance. Though dusky, she has never turned to fairness creams to change her skin color. As she herself puts it, “You’ll never find me endorsing especially for fairness creams, because I don’t like the whole penchant for fair skin. I was offered a product endorsement for a fairness cream ages ago, but I declined. In India, dark skinned girls are still subjected to taunts and pity. In the matrimonial columns, people still advertise for a fair bride. I’m dark skinned and very proud of that.”

Nandita Das who has fought the battle between dark and fair skin right from when she entered the industry has never fallen prey to fairness creams. She stands proud of her color and is against the advertisements that propagate fairness products.

At a seminar on Marketing Responsibility, in Mumbai, she said that she found fairness ads extremely demeaning to the character of a woman. She adds “I see women whose color has not changed even after using the cream for ten years and that further affects their self-confidence.”

Konkona Sen Sharma is also dusky and has never used any skin lightening cream or endorsed any such cream. She has always been comfortable with the way she looks.

Dusky is sexy

According to a website that speaks of Bollywood trends:

“… Now dusky is definitely in with a bevy of earthy-complexioned or dusky looking actresses like Bipasha Basu, Kajol, Priyanka Chopra,  Lara Dutta, Mallaika Arora, Sonali Kulkarni, Raima Sen, Konkona Sen,  Nandita Das, Jiah Khan andDeepika Padukone….”

“…It (Dusky complexion) makes a woman look real, achievable and sensuous without looking unattainable and plastic. A dusky looking actress like Bipasha Basu or Sameera Reddy looks earthly and identifiable rather than ethereal or angelic. They have a certain “I am a woman not an artifact” quality which exudes through their dusky complexion, making them stand out in all fairness…”

There is no longer any need to feel inferior due to your skin color. Throw away the creams and your misconceptions; it’s not what is on the outside that counts, but the inside.