What skin colors are there? Color of the skin. How to determine skin color: main types

But the ancient philosophers were absolutely right: everything can be known only by comparison. Living continuously on one continent for thousands of years, people had no idea that their skin color could be completely different. And the first Europeans who set foot on the soil of South America were simply amazed: the red-skinned people fell prostrate before them! The Indians sincerely believed that their white-skinned gods, who had once flown to heaven, had returned. And since that ancient time of the Great Geographical Discoveries, it was the color of a person’s skin that played and continues to play a significant role in the life of society.

What colors does leather come in?

Usually, when starting to list the names of a person’s skin color, they first cheerfully bend their fingers: white, black, yellow, red... And then they fall silent, puzzled. Indeed, how many of these flowers are there really, and why are they different people not the same, what does this depend on? In their practice, anthropologists use the Lushan color scale when determining skin color. These are reference samples, which are a set of opaque glasses. There are only 36 of them: from pinkish-white to completely black.

Thus, there are “officially” 36 shades various colors. Why do people have different skin colors?

Why the different colors?

According to anthropologists, the color of any person’s skin depends on the area in which his distant ancestors lived. It is very possible that the bodies of our ancestors were covered with light, spotted skin, the same as that of modern chimpanzees. There is also a theory, confirmed by experiments, of how people developed different skin tones. But for now, this is still just a theory. What is certain is that color directly depends on a substance called melanin, which is determined by genes.

The longer a white-skinned person is exposed to the sun, the more melanin is formed, which means that his skin will become darker. Dark skin provides better protection against ultraviolet radiation. Since the cradle of all modern people Africa is considered, then the conclusion is clear: those who were better protected from the merciless sun had greater chances of survival. Accordingly, the darkest individuals received a “start in life.”

As people settled around the planet, they found themselves in new territories with completely different climatic conditions. Solar radiation is much weaker in Europe, especially in its North. And if an excess of ultraviolet radiation is harmful to humans, then its deficiency is doubly destructive. Without sunlight, the human body does not produce vitamin D, which is essential for the formation of strong bones. It is clear that it is light, White skin“absorbs” the life-giving light better. That is why people of the North and South have different skin colors.

Leather: colors or shades?

So what skin colors do humans have? Experts call the main ones: olive, red, golden and neutral. Real, natural color The skin of a particular person is most accurately determined near the collarbone, on the neck. And since the skin on the face and hands is always under the influence of the environment, it can, accordingly, change color to a significant extent.

Olive color includes shades of gray, green and yellow. Red consists of red-brown, red and red-blue shades. And golden - from golden brown, gold and peach tones. Neutral skin color is a balance of cold and warm tones regulated by nature. It is usually called ivory, beige color.

All this is the result of the work of three pigments: carotene (yellow), melanin (brown) and hemoglobin (red). And if they talk about normal skin color, then this means that they mean, first of all, a single-colored skin, that is, evenly colored, without any spots of a different tone.

Today there are three main human races identified. Each of them has only its own skin color. Caucasian race (Europe, North Africa, Western Asia) – light or dark in color. Mongoloid (Asia, America) – yellowish skin. Negroid (Africa) – dark brown or black skin.

What does genetics say?

Heredity is most clearly manifested in skin color or shade. But the mechanism itself, why the color of hair, eyes, and skin is transmitted from parents to their children, has long been a mystery to everyone. There is information, confirmed by ancient literature, that the answer to this question was sought at the dawn of human history.

It was only in the mid-19th century that the scientist Gregor Mendel discovered and formulated the basic laws of heredity. And another hundred years later, already in the middle of the 20th century, experts began to study the chemical processes themselves that control heredity. The new science was called genetics.

Today, such words as “genetics” and “genes” will no longer surprise anyone. And just a little more than half a century ago, thousands of people died defending the right of this science to exist.

Nowadays, every modern high school student will be able to talk quite intelligently about DNA. This deoxyribonucleic acid is a real “gene bank” in which all the physical data of each person is recorded and stored. That is, it is not difficult for scientists to determine how many human genes determine skin color.

A little theory

Each cell in our body has two codes: one from the father, the other from the mother. The cell, analyzing this information, forms a combination of those characteristics that will be characteristic of only one person.

The DNA molecule is very complex and large. The answer to the question of why this and not another sign is formed is not yet completely clear. And although any cell in the body has two sets of DNA, at one stage of the division of the sperm and egg they have only one set each.

Thus, at the moment of fertilization and the formation of the very first cell of the future organism, a set of codes from both parents is embedded in it. Statistics have determined that between four and eight sets of codes are responsible for skin color.

It is also very interesting that the set of codes in the egg and sperm does not correspond to the code of the grandparents.

Genetics against racism

Having proven from a scientific point of view what explains the color of a person’s skin and what determines its formation, genetics has put an end to all theories of racism. Seeing people with a different skin color, for various reasons, standing at a lower level of social development, some “scientists” hastened to declare them “second-class” people.

Unfortunately, such “theories” have brought untold suffering and misfortune to millions of people of color. Today, racism, which preaches the dominant role of the white race, is rejected by all progressive humanity.

Our skin is a true mystery

The human body is a real storehouse of mysteries and complex problems, to which more than one generation will have to look for answers.

Even human skin, which is so familiar to us, also keeps many unsolved secrets. To date, the curtain has been lifted only over a very small part of them, while the remaining clues are still to come.

Here are some interesting facts.

The largest organ of the human body is the skin.
15 percent of the body's weight is skin, and the skin area of an adult is about two square meters.
All people have approximately the same number of melanin cells in their skin. It is not the number, but the activity of these cells that determines the color.
Albinos (such people have no melanin cells) are one in 110,000.
The same melanin is “responsible” for eye color.
A newborn's permanent skin color will develop during the first six months of life.

Skin phototypes characterize its sensitivity to solar (or rather, ultraviolet) radiation and the degree of changes occurring under its influence. The phototype is genetically predetermined (innate) and does not change throughout life even when exposed to strong external or internal factors. Its biological basis is the level of reaction of melanocytes - cells located in the lower layers of the epidermis and producing melanin. This pigment causes tanning; it is also “responsible” for the presence of moles and freckles. In addition, eye color depends on its quantity and nature of distribution in the iris.

Practical significance of phototypes

It is advisable for every person to find out their skin phototype, since this has a direct bearing not only on external beauty, but also on health. For example, it is considered statistically significant that the development of certain types of skin tumors is directly related to the level of ultraviolet radiation absorbed by the dermis. Among them is the most malignant tumor – melanoma. These facts have been confirmed through scientific and medical experiments.

Knowing your skin phototype allows you to:

determine a safe regime for staying in the sun or in a solarium, which will result in an even and lasting tan and no burns;
choose the right products with a sufficient level of sun protection index SPF (Sun Protection Factor);
pass without complications cosmetic procedures associated with dosed damage to the skin (or);
avoid skin photoaging;
significantly reduce the risk of oncodermatological diseases.

Fitzpatrick classification

There are many gradations and systems that define the so-called “skin passport”. One of the most convenient and widespread of them is the classification of the famous American dermatologist Thomas B. Fitzpatrick, developed in 1975. His scale divides all people into 6 categories depending on the saturation of the dermis with melanin and its reaction to the action of ultraviolet radiation. In addition to the natural color of the skin, Fitzpatrick phototype takes into account hair and eye color .

Name: Celtic.

Skin: very light, sometimes translucent, milky white or with a porcelain tint, easily blushing when nervous; often with a lot of freckles. Representatives of this category have a feature - light nipples, which is due to the low melanin content in these areas. This skin type is typical for Europeans.

Hair: Almost always very blond or red.

Eyes: blue, gray or green.

Reaction to ultraviolet light: highest possible photosensitivity. Since the pigment is formed in small quantities, after just a quarter of an hour of exposure to the sun, signs of a first-degree burn (hyperemia and burning) may appear. Subsequently, peeling occurs, and residual hyperpigmentation may persist for a long time. An even tan is almost unattainable.

Recommendations: Since this phototype has the highest risk of developing skin cancer, it is advisable to always avoid exposure to sunlight. If sun exposure is necessary, it is mandatory to use photoprotective products with a high protection factor (SPF from 30 to 50). Great care should be taken when passing laser or chemical peeling, since there is a high probability of developing hyperpigmentation and long-term irritation. Typically, procedures with a mild and superficial effect are prescribed.

Famous representatives with skin phototype I: Nicole Kidman, Claudia Schiffer, Renee Zellweger, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore.

Names: Nordic, Aryan, Scandinavian, Germanic, Eastern European, fair European, fair-skinned European.

Skin: light; There are few or no freckles. The phototype is also characteristic of Europeans.

Hair: Various shades of light brown or light brown.

Eyes: blue, gray, green, less often light brown.

Reaction to ultraviolet light: quite high photosensitivity. Burns occur easily (after about 20 minutes of sun exposure). The tan does not apply well and is unstable.

Recommendations: it is possible to obtain a golden skin tone with rare and short sunbathing (no more than 10 minutes) during relatively “safe hours” (before 11 and after 16). The optimal schedule for visiting a solarium is a series of exposures lasting up to 15 minutes with breaks of at least two days. It is advisable to use photoprotectors with an SPF value of about 30.

Famous personalities: Charlize Theron, Kate Moss, Cameron Diaz, Marilyn Monroe.

Names: Central European, dark European, mixed, dark-skinned European.

Skin: slightly dark, with an olive or ivory tint, practically without freckles.

Hair: shades of chestnut, dark brown, rarely black.

Eyes: gray, brown.

Reaction to ultraviolet light: the tan goes on easily and quickly with the formation of a moderately dark shade; however, burns may occur with excessive initial exposure to the sun (more than half an hour).

Recommendations: rational insolation regime, especially when suddenly moving to southern latitudes. Solarium: exposure up to 25 minutes with one to two day breaks. Usage protective equipment with high or moderate SPF (from 15 to 25).

Representatives: Angelina Jolie, Elizabeth Hurley, Natalie Portman, Kristin Davis.

Names: Mediterranean, Southern European.

Skin: dark, olive, no freckles. The phototype is typical for residents of Latin America, Asia, the Caucasus and the Mediterranean.

Hair: dark brown or black.

Eyes: brown, dark brown or black.

Reaction to ultraviolet light: the skin has high natural protection (about 40 minutes); A pronounced and lasting tan quickly appears. Sunburn are very rare, but prolonged exposure to high doses of ultraviolet radiation can cause.

Recommendations: use light protective agents (SPF from 8 to 20) to prevent solar aging. Solarium: to receive good tan you can conduct 10 half-hour sessions (daily or at daily intervals).

Celebrities: Monica Bellucci, Penelope Cruz, Salma Hayek, Jennifer Lopez, Eva Longloria.

Names: Middle Eastern, Indonesian, Asian.

Skin: dark, dark brown, possible yellowish tint; no freckles. The phototype is found mainly in residents of Southeast Asia and many Latin American countries.

Hair: dark brown or black.

Reaction to ultraviolet light: a high degree of natural skin protection; sunburn is extremely rare (this only happens with very intense and prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation). The acquired tan is almost invisible against the background of natural pigmentation.

Recommendations: minimal protection may be necessary when exposed to strong sunlight after a long break (use products with SPF of about 10). Because there is a high risk of hyperpigmentation, some cosmetic procedures should be performed with caution - for example, many types of chemical or laser peeling(the same applies to skin phototype VI).

Famous representatives: Nicole Scherzinger, Michelle Yeoh, Lucy Liu.

Names: African American, African.

Skin: dark brown or blue-black. The phototype is characteristic of people from the African continent and the aborigines of Australia.

Black hair.

Eyes: dark brown or black.

Reaction to ultraviolet light: natural skin protection from UV exposure can be considered ideal, since it allows you to constantly be exposed to direct rays of the sun without any damage; Photoburns never happen.

Recommendations: use nourishing and moisturizing agents if necessary. Artificial photoprotection is not required. It is necessary to evaluate contraindications when using most types of peeling and hair removal (there is a high risk of hyperpigmentation).

Celebrities: Naomi Campbell, Tina Turner, Whoopi Goldberg.

Skin phototypes should be taken into account when choosing an adequate and safe tanning regimen, purchasing photoprotective products and undergoing certain cosmetic procedures. This will prevent burns, preserve beauty and protect health.

Dear visitors to our website, if you have had this or that operation (procedure) or used any product, please leave your review. It can be very useful to our readers!

Health

1. Skin – largest organ in the human body

2. If you stretch the skin of an average person, it will cover an area of 2 square meters

3. Leather is approx. 15 percent of your body weight.

4. There are two types of skin: hairy and hairless

5. Your skin has three layers:

Epidermis - water-repellent and dead layer

Dermis – hair and sweat glands

Subcutaneous fat - fat and large blood vessels

6. Every inch of your skin has a certain elasticity and strength, depending on its location. So the skin on your knuckles is different from the skin on your stomach.

7. Scar tissue lacks hair and sweat glands

8. The most thin skin on your eyelids - about 0.2 mm

9. The thickest skin on your feet - about 1.4 mm

10. In humans an average of 100,000 hairs per head. In people with blond hair about 140,000 hairs, dark-haired people have 110,000, and red-haired people have about 90,000.

11. Each hair has a small muscle that lifts the hair in cold and various emotional states

12. Body hair grow 2 to 6 years

13. We we lose from 20 to 100 hairs per day

14. Keratin forms the outer dead layer of skin and nails

15. More 50 percent of house dust is dead skin

16. Every 28 days your skin renews itself.

17. Lipids are natural fats that keep the outer layer of skin hydrated and healthy. Detergents and alcohol destroy lipids.

18. Skin loses more than 30,000 dead cells every minute

19. As we age, we begin to shed skin less often. In children, old cells are shed faster. This is why babies have such a pink, fresh complexion

20. The skin produces about 500 ml of sweat per day.

21. Sweat itself has no odor, and it is thanks to bacteria that body odor appears.

22. Your skin is a microcosm in which more than 1000 species of bacteria live and about 1 billion individual bacteria.

23. The glands that produce earwax are special sweat glands.

24. On average, you have about 14 types of fungi.

Melanin pigment and human skin color

25. Skin color is the result of the action of a protein called melanin. Huge tentacle-shaped skin cells - melanocytes - produce and distribute the pigment melanin.

26. People have the same number of melanin cells. Different colour skin is the result of their activity, not quantity.

27. Human skin varies greatly in different parts Sveta. According to the well-known classification - the Lushan scale, there is 36 main types of human skin color.

28. 1 in 110,000 people are albino, that is, he does not have melanin cells.

29. Melanin is also responsible for eye color, and the skin covering the eye is transparent and very sensitive.

30. A child’s permanent skin color is formed within about 6 months.

Acne and skin treatment

31. The cause of acne or pimples is the excessive production of cells lining the sweat glands.

32. Even kids suffer from acne. Some newborn babies develop acne in the first few weeks of life. The cause of newborn acne is not fully known, but it does not require treatment and goes away on its own.

33. About 80 percent or 4 out of 5 teenagers experience acne.

34. But this is not only a problem adolescence. One in 20 women and one in 100 men suffer from acne in adulthood

35. The appearance of a boil is associated with staphylococcal bacteria. It penetrates tiny cuts in the skin and enters the hair follicles.

Appearance of human skin

36. Skin appearance and texture talks about your health. When you are sick, your skin turns pale, and when you are tired, bags appear under your eyes.

37. Smoking negatively affects the condition of the skin, depriving it of oxygen and nutrients, slowing blood flow, and also contributing to the appearance of wrinkles.

38.Leather heals very quickly. Because upper layer skin is living tissue, the body immediately begins to heal the wound. The blood from the cut forms a scab and seals the wound.

39. Most moles are genetically predetermined even before we are born.

40. People with more moles on their body live longer and look younger those who have fewer moles.

41. Almost every person has at least one mole.

42. Moles can appear anywhere, including the genitals, scalp and tongue.

43. Freckles most often appear in people with light skin color.

44. Freckles fade in winter, since melanin is not produced in large quantities during the winter months.

45. Freckles can be red, yellow, light brown and dark brown.

46. Unlike moles, Freckles do not appear at birth, they appear after a person has been exposed to sunlight.

47. Vitamin A treats skin damaged by sun exposure and cellulite

48. Vitamin D– reduces rashes and neoplasms

49. Vitamin C– antioxidant, restores vitamin E and protects from the sun

50. Vitamin E– Antioxidant, protects against sun damage and aging.

Update: October 2018

The beauty of a person is judged by his face: the shape and symmetry of the eyes, the shape of the nose and eyebrows, the fullness of the lips - all this must form a holistic and harmonious picture, then the person will be considered attractive or beautiful. Skin color is the basis on which we judge health: our own or another person’s.

Changes in skin color are medically called dyschromia. It most often occurs due to some internal diseases (we will look at them below), and a cosmetologist or dermatologist are the last specialists you need to visit about this.

A change in complexion towards a paler or redder color should be a reason to, instead of grabbing cosmetic corrective products, grab a blood pressure monitor and then count your own pulse. If you describe the color as yellow, green or bluish, you should not hesitate to see a doctor: conditions that change the complexion to such shades are life-threatening.

About skin

Human skin is the organ with the largest area. On average, it occupies 2 square meters in an adult, and its total mass is more than 10 kilograms. The main task of the skin, present from birth: to protect the underlying tissues from the penetration of microbes and chemical substances. In addition, it protects them from high and low temperatures, ultraviolet and other rays, for which the subcutaneous tissue and muscles are clearly not designed. The skin also performs other very important functions: it participates in respiration, thermoregulation, synthesizes some vitamins, enzymes and bioactive substances, and conveys information about pain, tactile sensations and temperature to the spinal cord. It can absorb substances applied to it, delivering them into the systemic circulation.

From 3-4 months of life, another important function of the integumentary tissue, which is relevant to our topic, develops - excretory. The skin removes some of the products, both those formed during the normal functioning of organs, and those that arise during the neutralization of toxins by our main “filters”.

A person's complexion depends on:

combinations of pigments in it;
thickness of the stratum corneum;
the depth of the location of vessels in it and their filling;
on the intensity of metabolism occurring in the body.

Changing each of the parameters leads to a change in complexion. Let's look at all this in more detail.

Skin structure

Our covering tissue, skin, consists of two layers. The top one is called the epidermis. This is the same epithelium as the one that forms all mucous membranes internal organs. Its difference is in the number of cell layers. The latter, gradually turning into dead plates from the lower layer to the upper, still remain on the surface of the skin and protect it from adverse external influences. Between ordinary cells The epidermis contains those that, being the owners of a coloring pigment, provide the skin with brownish and yellowish shades.

The deep layer of the integument is represented by the dermis. There are protein fibers here that are responsible for the elasticity of the skin and the ability to straighten it when forming a fold. The intercellular substance located between them is responsible for moisturizing the skin and the ability to correctly “cooperate” with facial muscles - to straighten without forming wrinkles after demonstrating another emotion.

The dermis is the layer of skin that contains blood vessels: many blood vessels and some lymphatic vessels. The hemoglobin found in them gives the cover a pink color.

Pigments

Healthy color is provided by a combination of four pigments:

melanin;
carotene;
oxyhemoglobin;
reduced hemoglobin.

Melanin

This is a brown pigment. Its task is to protect the skin from ultraviolet rays, which are dangerous due to their oncogenicity, ability to cause burns and oxidative stress (and with it early aging). Therefore, when exposed to the sun, our skin turns brown, and people living in conditions of increased solar activity have dark or even black skin.

Melanin is produced in special cells of the epidermis - melanocytes. Through special processes, vesicles with pigment are delivered to other cells - keratinocytes, where they accumulate. Some of it is dissolved in the dermis.

The accumulation of melanin bubbles in the main skin cells is dictated not only by genetic, but also by constitutional factors. Thus, some localizations darken greatly under the influence of ultraviolet rays, while others remain practically unchanged, while others are brown regardless of radiation. Genetics “dictates” that some people become very dark in the spring and summer. Others - this disorder is called albinism - do not sunbathe under any circumstances, maintaining milk White color skin.

The process of formation and accumulation of melanin is regulated by two main enzymes - copper-containing and zinc-dependent. If the body lacks each of them, there is nothing to absorb ultraviolet rays.

Carotene

This is the name of the yellow pigment dissolved in the dermis of the skin. It is a natural antioxidant that protects the skin from the harmful effects of oxygen radicals. The same one is found in carrots and some algae, from where, when eaten, it penetrates the skin.

U Caucasian carotene is almost invisible - it is hidden by melanin. But in Mongoloids it is visible and turns their skin yellowish.

Hemoglobin and its types

This pigment is not found in the skin itself, but in the vessels lying in the dermis. Its main task is to transfer oxygen to tissues and take carbon dioxide from them. When it transports oxygen (called oxyhemoglobin), it is pink in color. When hemoglobin is saturated with carbon dioxide, it colors the vessels dark red or bluish. The extent to which the hemoglobin present in the vessels will stain the skin will depend on:

number of blood vessels in the skin;
proximity of dermal capillaries to the surface layer of the skin;
filling of these capillaries, which depends on the pressure in the larger arteries. This is regulated by the autonomic nervous system and the hormonal system. The filling of small skin vessels is also affected by the amount of fluid in the vascular bed;
thickness of the stratum corneum.

Pathological pigments

The skin can be colored not only by pigments present under physiological conditions, but also by substances that penetrate here during pathology. Sometimes these are pathological substances - such as iodine or silver. But more often these are products formed from hemoglobin:

Bilirubin, which is formed during the breakdown of red blood cells. It becomes a lot in the body or is destroyed immediately large quantities erythrocytes, or if hemoglobin metabolism in the liver is impaired. It colors the skin yellow, and the condition that occurs is called jaundice. We'll talk more below.
Rich dark, almost Blue colour skin cancer occurs when a person’s hemoglobin changes its structure, becoming methemoglobin. Such a substance, containing iron of a different valency, does not tolerate oxygen, and if there is a lot of it in the vessels, it is deadly.
Brown color can be caused not only by the accumulation of melanin. The skin acquires this shade as a result of a genetic disease called “porphyria”, when the hemoglobin contained in the vessels of the skin, which is in the process of transformation, is exposed to sunlight.

Thus, skin color depends on the combination of coloring pigments in different layers of the skin, as well as its thickness. An even complexion is obtained when all parameters - pigment saturation, thickness of the stratum corneum, and distribution of blood vessels - are the same in all areas.

This is influenced by:

vegetative work nervous system(it is she who regulates the lumen of blood vessels);
quality of facial skin care;
human lifestyle: nutrition, bad habits;
environmental conditions of the place of residence;
chronic diseases.

Darkening of color

This word can describe complexion in various diseases.

Adrenal insufficiency

Evenly dark color face, when the skin can be described as bronze or too dark, is characteristic of adrenal insufficiency - usually primary, when the paired endocrine organ itself suffers. In this case, it will not be the face that will darken at first, but not the parts of the body protected by clothing, those that rub against parts of clothing and those that are already pigmented (peripapillary circle, genitals, armpits). In addition, there will be weight loss, digestive disorders, and sometimes changes in the sexual sphere.
.

Thyrotoxicosis

When the dark color does not cover the face evenly, but with blurry brown spots, this indicates increased activity of the thyroid gland. Additional signs that speak in its favor will be skin that is hot to the touch, irritability, increased appetite and, at the same time, weight loss.

Liver pathologies

Bacterial endocarditis

The word “dark color” can also describe light brown, which is also called “coffee with milk”. This is the complexion characteristic of prolonged septic endocarditis, a disease in which bacteria settle on the heart valves, leading to the development of polyposis and ulcers here.

This pathology is characterized by a slow deterioration of the condition in a person who has long been diagnosed with valvular heart disease. He begins to get tired faster and wants to lie down more often. Unpleasant sensations or minor pain appear in the heart. The same vague and unexpressed pains are noted in the joints.

Body temperature rises: usually to low levels, with chills and palpitations. Later it rises to 39 degrees, chills appear, and the person sweats profusely. Sometimes the temperature immediately rises to high levels, an attack of heart palpitations develops, and first one thing or another hurts. In some cases, the temperature remains elevated for a long time to 37.8, and against this background, its “jumps” to 39 and higher are periodically observed.

Septic endocarditis is a life-threatening disease: masses of endocardium “recycled” by bacteria, which were located here in the form of polyps, “fly off” from the valves. Such emboli can clog the vessels of organs: brain, kidneys, spleen, limbs, skin. Kidney damage is manifested by darkening of the urine, the appearance of blood in it, and a decrease in its amount. With cerebral embolism, clouding of consciousness, dizziness, double vision, muscle twitching or convulsions occur. A sudden loss of consciousness with difficulty breathing may occur, which leads to death if help is not provided urgently.

Hemorrhages occur in the skin, which look like large or smaller areas soaked in blood (irregular bruises), the center of which is whitish. They do not rise above the skin, and often affect only the skin of the legs and the conjunctiva of the lower eyelid. The disease is also characterized by the following symptom: the appearance of red, dense and painful nodules on the palms or soles, which resolve after 2-3 days.

Hemochromatosis

Here, grayish-brown or dark brown spots appear on the skin, merging with each other, which can serve as a reason for making a preliminary diagnosis of chronic adrenal insufficiency. An accurate diagnosis is made by skin biopsy in stained areas, when deposits of hemosiderin and melanin are detected.

Early systemic scleroderma

Here, numbness and coldness of the hands first appear, accompanied by the feeling of crawling “goosebumps”. These symptoms bother the patient for several years without being supplemented by anything else. Then dark spots appear on the hands, face and feet, or only in a separate location. They are dense, seem to consist of thick skin, spread to free areas, and hinder movements of the facial muscles. The diagnosis is made by detecting antibodies to RNA polymerase, topoisomerase I or histone in the blood (one type of antibody is detected in each patient), as well as antinuclear factor (it is detected in 90-95%).

Porphyria cutanea tarda

When this disease develops after exposure to the sun, as well as when drinking alcohol, blisters appear on exposed areas of the body, the skin becomes brittle and fragile, darkens, but may also lighten. After the slightest injury to the skin, the same thing happens. The conjunctiva of the eyes swells and turns red, while the throat does not turn red, and other cold symptoms do not occur. Ultrasound shows liver damage.

Variegated porphyria manifests itself in a similar way. Only doctors distinguish them.

Recklinghausen's neurofibromatosis

In this case, different diameters appear on the body brown spot(coffee with milk colors) – one or many. The disease debuts in childhood. It is also characterized by premature puberty and high blood pressure.

Similar symptoms are characteristic of two other diseases that manifest themselves with childhood- Watson's syndrome and Albright's syndrome. Only doctors can distinguish them.

Dysplastic nevus syndrome

Dark brown spots with a clear border appear on the skin. Papules raised above the skin and variegated in color may also develop. There are usually no other complaints.

Leopard syndrome

Spots are found everywhere on the skin that have dark brown color. And although other symptoms are not subjectively disturbing, when performing an ECG it is noted various types changes. An ultrasound of the heart reveals a decrease in the lumen (stenosis) of the pulmonary artery.

Peutz-Jeghers syndrome

Multiple dark brown spots appear on the lips and fingers. In addition, periodic pain in the abdomen (closer to the navel) is bothersome. When examined by a gastroenterologist or during an X-ray examination of the intestines with preliminary administration of contrast (barium), polyposis of the small intestine is detected.

Blackening of the face

If the skin turns black, this is a sign that you need to urgently consult a doctor, as it is dangerous. This coloring may appear due to the following diseases.

Meningococcal infection

This life-threatening disease most often affects children: in adults, the meningococcus bacterium most often does not cause illness, but forms a carrier state, settling in the nose (such people are infectious to their loved ones without knowing it).

The disease occurs acutely: body temperature rises, spots appear on the skin. At first they may be red, then they become purple, brown or black, and merge. Without emergency medical care the rash merges, forming large areas of black color, while the person becomes lethargic, drowsy, there may be vomiting, after which it does not get better. An ambulance should be called as soon as possible.

Kidney diseases

If a person develops a kidney infection or Bladder, he may develop a black discoloration of the facial skin - mainly in the area of the cheekbones and root of the nose. Additional symptoms there is a change in the color of urine, lower back pain, nausea, fever, painful urination.

Pellagra

This is a disease when the body lacks B vitamins, especially vitamin PP ( nicotinic acid). It usually occurs after an intestinal infection, against the background of chronic alcohol consumption, with frequent exposure to ultraviolet rays of the sun or solarium, and also when a person experiences increased loss of this vitamin during pregnancy, lactation or hard work against the background of chronic malnutrition.

The main symptoms of the disease will be: general weakness, burning sensation in the mouth, constant diarrhea and abdominal pain. Red spots or blisters with cloudy liquid first appear on the skin of the face and open parts of the body, then a dark color appears here. The skin in these places peels off.

Except skin manifestations a person notes mental status disorders: fatigue, depressive state, sometimes – psychosis with hallucinations.

Xeroderma pigmentosum

This is a hereditary disease in which the integumentary tissue is hypersensitive to ultraviolet rays. When exposed to this radiation, areas of redness, spider veins and large ones that merge with each other appear on the skin of open areas, including the face. dark spots dark, almost black color.

Excessive melanoblastosis

It appears in newborns. At the same time, damage to the nervous system comes to the fore: drowsiness, vomiting not associated with food, strabismus, low tone of the hands and some others. This occurs due to the deposition of melanin in the nuclei of the cranial nerves. The same pigment is deposited in the skin, which turns it black.

Occupational melasma

If a person works with petroleum distillation products (tar, pitches) for a long time, substances are absorbed into the skin that enhance the effect of ultraviolet radiation on it.

Blue face

The blue color accompanies life-threatening heart or lung diseases, or covers the face when taking certain medications.

Blue face as a result of treatment

A drug such as Cordarone can turn the face blue. In this case, you need to consult a cardiologist about reducing the dosage of the medication.

The second cause of ceruloderm (as doctors call blue skin) is the use of silver preparations, mainly for antiseptic purposes, for example, for a runny nose. People involved in silver processing also get sick. This condition is called argyria and usually leads to damage to the bone marrow, eyes, kidney failure and damage to the nervous system - silver salts accumulate not only in the skin, but also in all internal organs, vessel walls, mucous membranes, sclera of the eyes, and remain there for the entire life.

If a person stops using medications containing silver salts, the symptoms of damage to internal organs will go away, but the blue color of the skin will remain.

Methemoglobinemia

This is the name of the condition when normal hemoglobin is replaced by an altered one - methemoglobin, in which iron is not divalent, but trivalent, and cannot carry oxygen. This disease most often appears during poisoning with hemolytic poisons. For example, it occurs with an overdose of Paracetamol, the use of long-stored Phenacetin and sulfonamides, as well as in cases where a large number of nitrates and nitrites (they are found in well and tap water, in canned meat, in fruits and vegetables fertilized with nitrate-nitrite fertilizers). There are also hereditary forms of pathology.

For any form of the disease, the symptoms will be as follows:

the skin acquires a gray-blue tint;
the nail phalanges do not change their shape (if the heart or lungs are affected, the nail-bearing phalanges expand, taking on the appearance of “drumsticks”);
physical activity is accompanied by shortness of breath and fatigue;
headaches are frequent and severe.

Cardiopulmonary diseases

These pathologies cause both generalized cyanosis, when the whole body acquires a bluish tint, and regional cyanosis, manifested by blueness of the skin under the nails, the tip of the nose, lips and nasolabial triangle.

This condition develops in various diseases:

Heart failure. In this case, there is pain in the heart with physical activity, shortness of breath at rest, worsening with physical activity, swelling, localized mainly in the legs. An ECG or ultrasound of the heart can determine the disease that caused this pathology.
Asthma attack. Here, the appearance of an attack can be associated with an encounter with an allergen (for example, plant pollen or household chemicals), there is a dry cough, it becomes difficult to exhale, and sometimes wheezing can be heard from afar.
Pneumonia. It is not always, but often manifested by cough and fever. In addition, there is shortness of breath, a feeling of lack of air, weakness, and nausea.
Cyanotic variant of erythrocytosis.
Tuberculosis. In this case, a cough is noted: it is dry, sometimes during a cough attack a certain amount of mucous sputum is released. The temperature rises to low levels (up to 38 degrees), weakness and increased fatigue are noted.
Pulmonary embolism: when in one or more branches of the vessel going from the heart to the lungs, a “congestion” or blockage forms with a blood clot, fat, gas, or masses detached from the inflamed heart valves. The disease develops abruptly: often after straining or performing heavy physical work, a person with varicose veins, heart defects or an aneurysm suddenly develops weakness, shortness of breath with a feeling of lack of air. A little later, a cough and pain in one of the halves of the chest develop.
Any kind of shock, manifested by a sharp decrease in blood pressure. Shock can develop with significant dehydration, large amounts of bacteria entering the body, blood loss, severe pain due to injury, or anaphylaxis.
Heart defects. Often, only fatigue is subjectively felt; there may be rhythm disturbances and headaches. The upper half of the body may differ in color from the lower.
Chronic bronchitis. It manifests itself as a cough, fever, and sometimes a feeling of shortness of breath. If a person has had this disease for a long time, his fingers change: the nail phalanges thicken, becoming like “drumsticks.” Nails also change: they become dull, they are covered with grooves (such nails are called “watch glasses”).
Pleurisy. This condition develops after pneumonia. It is characterized not only by the development of a bluish coloration of the skin, but also by a repeated increase in body temperature that has already returned to normal, chest pain when breathing, chills, weakness, and night sweats.
Pneumothorax. This term characterizes a condition when, due to injury to the lung, air penetrates into the cavity surrounding it. If the amount of air increases, then it compresses the lung itself and the heart lying nearby. Is it dangerous. The pathology develops acutely, usually after physical effort or a coughing fit. Severe pain appears on the side of the damaged lung, which intensifies with deep inspiration, coughing and movement. Shortness of breath and a feeling of lack of air also appears.

Redness of the skin

A red complexion is not always a sign of alcohol abuse, as previously thought. This is a sign of the following diseases:

Arterial hypertension(increased blood pressure), which may accompany hypertension, develop due to diseases of the kidneys or adrenal glands. Redness of the face develops against the background of a headache, spots before the eyes, and pain in the heart.
Carbon monoxide poisoning. This happens to people with stove heating who are in an unventilated room.
Erythrocytosis and, in which there is too much hemoglobin and red blood cells, which does not improve the transport of oxygen, but poses a danger in terms of increased thrombus formation. Here the face and shoulders are bright red. This intensifies after taking a bath, and with this comes skin itching.
Allergic reaction: for medicines, food, household chemicals, introduction of worms into the intestines and other things. In addition to redness, a dry cough, sneezing, and possibly diarrhea often appear. Improvement is observed if the allergen is eliminated.
Rosacea. At first, the skin turns red only when exposed to heat or cold, but gradually the face ceases to return to its normal color. Typically, pathology develops in women during menopause. It must be distinguished from the redness of the face characteristic of this period, which accompanies the sensation of “hot flashes”.
Tuberculosis. Here the cheeks are constantly red, but this color is not bright. In addition, the nasolabial triangle has a bluish tint, there is also a cough, and a constantly elevated temperature; the person sweats heavily.
Scarlet fever: The face turns red and the nasolabial triangle becomes pale. In addition, the temperature rises, and a red rash spreads throughout the body.
Pneumonia when one cheek turns red. There is also a feeling of difficulty breathing, cough, weakness, and increased body temperature.
Sinusitis. Here one cheek is also painted - on the affected side. At the same time, there is a headache, a fever, a stuffy nose, and when instilled, a large amount of secretion is released, often mucopurulent.
Both cheeks and the back of the nose turn red with a disease such as systemic lupus erythematosus.
Redness of the cheeks against the background of an intestinal infection or acute respiratory infection in a child is a sign that his underlying disease has been complicated by the development of acetonemic syndrome. This is a condition when the body uses fats rather than glucose as energy substrates, the breakdown products of which have a toxic effect on the brain.
A large dose of atropine or scopolamine for a given person.
Poisoning with hallucinogens.

Also, the face - especially if a person suffers from vegetative-vascular dystonia - changes its color to red with any illness that is accompanied by an increase in temperature.

Earthy color

If your face suddenly acquires an unhealthy, sallow color, this may indicate chronic lack of sleep, lack of fresh air, unbalanced diet, excessive tanning and smoking. But most often this shade indicates pathology. For example:

Poor thyroid function. At the same time, the face becomes not only dull, but also puffy. The skin is dry, and the hair is brittle, splits and falls out. It is also noted excess weight with decreased appetite and poor nutrition.
Oncological disease(cancer) of any localization, including leukemia.
HIV infection. At the same time, the disease is staged: at first, a slightly elevated temperature lasts for several months, then it increases and a large number of lymph nodes begin to be felt. Only then does the color of the skin fade, a person begins to often suffer from pneumonia, every small violation of the integrity of the skin takes a long time to heal, and long-term diseases develop, the cause of which cannot be immediately found.
Sepsis(blood poisoning). In this case, at first there are symptoms of some kind of bacterial disease: inflammation of the kidneys, lungs, festering wound, abscess, sinusitis, and so on. Then, after a short-term improvement, the temperature rises again, weakness, headache and nausea appear. This is complemented by symptoms of kidney or liver damage.

Pallor

Pale or unhealthy white color indicates various diseases, in which:

a) there is acute or chronic blood loss:

endometriosis;
ectopic pregnancy;
peptic ulcer;
internal bleeding;

b) the blood vessels of the skin spasmed so that there was enough blood for the central organs:

angina pectoris;
oncological diseases of any localization;
heart defects;
aortic aneurysm;
fat embolism;

c) diseases that occur with intoxication, due to which vasospasm occurs: ARVI (especially influenza), asthma attack, tuberculosis and other infectious diseases;

d) there is not enough melanin, which causes the skin to become more “transparent”. If this occurs throughout the skin, and there is also a lack of melanin in the iris of the eye, then this is albinism or phenylketonuria. When individual white spots appear on the skin, we can talk about vitiligo, a disease that has many causes;

e) deficiency of substances from which hemoglobin is formed: iron, folic acid, vitamin B12, proteins, glutathione, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. This different kinds anemia – deficient and hypoplastic. The latter may occur due to kidney disease;

f) autonomic regulation of blood vessels is impaired (vegetative-vascular dystonia). This can be said if the pale color occurs during stress, fear, or nervous experiences;

g) hormonal regulation of vascular tone is disrupted: diabetes, hypothyroidism;

h) edema, due to which skin vessels are poorly visible: hypothyroidism, kidney disease, loss of proteins due to exudative enteropathy, burns, malabsorption syndrome.

Gray face

Gray color is described in the following conditions:

Leukemia. These pathologies are very insidious, masquerading as ARVI: weakness, drowsiness appear, and body temperature rises. Most often they are discovered when they are prescribed general analysis blood.
Diseases digestive system : pancreatitis, cholecystitis. In this case, nausea, bloating, bowel movements, pain in the upper abdomen when eating spicy, smoked or fatty foods, or alcohol are noted.
Smoking and stress.
After suffering serious illnesses.

Green or olive skin color

Olive or green color facial skin is typical for:

severe intoxication, especially in acute respiratory infections and poisoning;
oncological diseases;
(but it can also be earthy and the color of wet asphalt, and in case of exacerbation it can also be lemon yellow);
kidney diseases.

Jaundice

Diseases in which a yellow complexion is observed have a common name - jaundice. This color is sometimes given by carotene if a person has eaten too many carrots. In this case, only the palms and soles are painted. In other cases, yellowness occurs when too much bilirubin is formed - a product that is formed from hemoglobin in red blood cells and then metabolized in the liver. A lot of bilirubin is produced either when a lot of red blood cells break down, or when liver function is disrupted.

Red blood cells disintegrate either due to the weakness of their own membrane, or when a substance enters the blood (for example, anti-Rh antibodies or poisons) that destroys the blood cells. Conditions caused by membrane disruption have a common name - hemolytic jaundice. There are many types of them, which only a hematologist can distinguish. Poisoning with hemolytic poisons is dealt with by toxicologists who have an artificial kidney apparatus in their arsenal. When red blood cells are destroyed due to burns, treatment takes place in the Combustiology Departments.

There is another type of jaundice - caused by diseases of the liver and biliary tract:

blockage of the bile ducts by tumors, stones or inflammation;
hepatitis: viral, toxic (including medicinal), alcoholic;
cirrhosis of the liver.

Jaundice will also manifest itself as inflammation of the pancreas, directly connected to the liver and gall bladder.

Bilirubin is a dangerous substance that can destroy the brain. Therefore, if yellowing of the skin appears, you should urgently call an ambulance. With his own strength, a person can only drink " Activated carbon"or other sorbent preparation. It is also important to tell doctors what you ate or drank. In this case, the person’s future health depends on the urgency of the assistance provided by toxicologists.

Diagnostics

A therapist will tell you how to determine what causes a change in complexion. When prescribing your tests or recommending a consultation with a more specialized specialist, he will proceed from the new shade of your skin.

So, if your face is pale, you will be prescribed:

general blood test with mandatory determination of reticulocytes - the ancestors of red blood cells;
osmotic resistance of erythrocytes;
coagulogram;
liver tests.

If you are concerned about yellowness, the therapist refers you to an infectious disease specialist, and he, focusing on the history of your life and this disease, as well as ultrasound of the liver, gallbladder and pancreas, liver tests and markers for viral hepatitis, decides whether he, a gastroenterologist or hematologist.

Olive complexion requires the attention of a gastroenterologist, who will examine, palpate and listen to your stomach, prescribe an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity (it is performed after preparation) and FEGDS (here you will have to swallow the probe).

Black or blue shades symptoms that arise overnight, especially if there is a feeling of lack of air, require calling an ambulance. These specialists will figure out who should consult or treat you. If black spots are bothering you, but there are no other symptoms, it is advisable to consult the staff of the Department of Dermatology.

Cardiologists will help determine the reasons for the red color. These doctors will come to the aid of a tonometer for measuring blood pressure and an ECG. They will probably also need an ultrasound of your kidneys and adrenal glands - to find out the cause high blood pressure, as well as ultrasound of the heart.

How to restore color to your face

You will have a healthy color if you follow the rules of maintaining the requirements of your physical body:

No smoking.
Get enough sleep.
Don’t eat junk food: many diseases come from careless eating and junk foods.
Eat more vegetables, berries and fruits.
Drink at least 30 ml/kg body weight. Water is needed for the normal functioning of enzymes, on which all processes in the body depend.
In spring and autumn, consult a therapist about the advisability of taking tablet vitamins.

If your complexion has changed, you should not trust cosmetology websites that tell you how miracle masks or procedures can help improve your complexion. The fact is that a change in the color of the integumentary tissue is a distress signal sent by our self-renewing body. If he could speak, he would say the following: “Start helping me, remove the interfering factor - and I will recover on my own.

Then, if you wish, go to a cosmetologist or do homemade mask, but first, take measures to eliminate the disease.” You should not postpone a visit to a specialist until the most extreme case: doctors are not magicians, and if the disease has already affected several organs, then it becomes increasingly difficult to save them.

Treatment for discolored facial skin depends on the cause of the condition. It is completely different, and without looking at the person and without listening to his complaints, it is difficult for even the most venerable professor to say anything about his treatment.

All people are individual, so any stylist and makeup artist will advise that before buying clothes or applying makeup, you need to determine your color type. After all, a well-chosen range of shades can not only emphasize beauty, but also hide some flaws.

There is a well-known theory where each season of the year is characterized by a certain Olive skin color belongs to a cold color, and golden-peach tones belong to a warm color. In addition, there are a number of signs by which one can determine which “season” a particular person belongs to. We will learn about this later in the article.

What is a color type?

This concept characterizes the general palette of shades, which is most harmoniously suitable for a certain combination of hair and skin. Some are inclined to believe that such knowledge of the characteristics of their appearance is unnecessary, since if you buy clothes from expensive brands, they will look good in any case. But this opinion is a misconception.

Women who know their color type, purchasing a variety of outfits, hair dye and cosmetics that match their “season”, will always look brighter and more advantageous in relation to other representatives of the fairer sex. Correctly selected shades can make the face more expressive, eyes brighter, and also correct age-related changes.

Let's figure out what color types there are

The brightest and warm season- it is spring". Its base shade is considered yellow. This type of appearance includes those with natural blond or light brown curls in a wide variety of tones: golden, the color of ripe wheat or amber. Most often, a “spring” woman’s hair is a little curly. The eyes of these ladies are green, blue and gray. The face has a peachy or milky tint, which usually does not tan well. It is better for such ladies to choose a wardrobe in pastel colors or muted gold, as well as terracotta.

One more warm color type considered “autumn”. This season is characterized exclusively by red hues. The eyes of such girls are usually bright green, rich amber or cognac in color. The curls are thick, bouncy and include the entire palette of red tones. The entire face of such ladies is usually covered with freckles and has beige skin, which is very sensitive to sun rays. For “autumn” women, outfits in brick or mustard shades suit best.

Olive skin color can be attributed to two cold color types. In one season it has a light undertone, and in another it has a dark undertone and is the most common shade in our latitudes. "Summer" ladies have blue, gray-green, hazel or blue eyes. The curls of such women are usually ash-brown, medium brown or grayish in color. The face has a light olive skin color, and it can also be a pinkish-beige tone.

“Winter” girls are considered the brightest and most spectacular, since their appearance is dominated by contrasting, rich and cold colors. They possess black or hair. The eyes of these ladies have a dark brown, steel gray or bright blue tint. The “winter” woman is distinguished from other representatives of the fair sex by her beautiful and dark dark olive skin color.

How to correctly determine your color type?

To find out your “season”, you need to understand which tones will be most harmonious with your appearance. To do this, you need to conduct a small experiment: in bright or daylight, sit in front of a mirror and alternately apply fabric of different shades to your face. The color that will give a positive effect, that is, will make the appearance more spectacular and brighter, determines the type of woman.

Thus, if yellowish tones suit a lady’s face more, it means she is a representative of the thermal color type (autumn and spring). If a girl is more suited to bluish and greenish shades, then she undoubtedly has an olive color and belongs to the cold “seasons”. It is a little more difficult for such ladies to choose outfits for themselves and make correct makeup, so it’s better to consider these color types in more detail.

Cold season skin tone

“Winter” and “summer” women have a complex complexion tone. Therefore, if you ask the question: “What is olive skin color?” - the photos will show that it looks like a combination of yellowish greenish shades. The last one is his distinctive feature. If the tone is intensely saturated, then the face looks a little dark. Its light shade, on the contrary, looks cold and gives its owner an aristocratic look.

This skin color is easy to see in digital photographs. At high magnification, something greenish should be visible on the neck or face.

What clothes are suitable for “cold” ladies?

Women associated with the summer color type will look advantageous in milky, white, dark gray, blue, smoky, brown, light yellow, crimson, wine and mint shades. At the same time, you need to remember that it is better not to purchase outfits in orange and black tones.

A “winter” girl can emphasize her beauty thanks to things in anthracite, white, red, emerald green or purple. Pink colour.

Which hair shade to choose?

Women who have a light olive complexion should avoid red tones when dyeing their locks, as such toning can give them a sickly appearance. Therefore, you should not make drastic changes to your image. When choosing a paint, it is best to choose one that is one tone darker or lighter than its native shade.

“Winter” ladies, who are characterized by a dark olive skin color, will look ideal with black or chocolate curls. When choosing paint, it is better not to buy shades with a golden tint or yellowish tint, but to choose brown and chestnut tones.

Choosing a tone for makeup

Women who belong to the cold seasons should choose a foundation with an olive tint. “Summer” ladies have small reddish capillaries on their faces, which are easily masked by a greenish tone.

“Winter” girls have a richer olive skin color. Photos of such women show what suits them best Foundation light shades with a fluid texture.

Make-up

The beautiful half of humanity, belonging to the summer color type, should use colorless powder in their makeup. When shopping for blush, it's best to stick to pinkish tones, but avoid reddish and brick tones. Shades of light blue, green or pink can highlight the expressiveness of the look that such ladies have. When buying mascara, you can buy not only black, but also pay attention to dark blue or brown. For those who have a light olive complexion, photos of these ladies show that the whole range is suitable for their lips

For representatives of the winter color type, it is best to use bright and cool shades in their makeup, focusing on the eyes or lips. Smoky shadows should always be present in their makeup bag, black mascara, eyeliner and a pencil, which should be about two shades darker than the lipstick. It is not advisable for these girls to use golden shades when applying blush.

From all of the above, it should be concluded that it is very important to know your color type of appearance, since an incorrectly selected palette of tones in things can nullify the work of even the best stylists and makeup artists. Therefore, you should remember that a harmonious image is made up of many details, and, knowing your “season,” you can easily put it together using a simple method developed for each type of woman.