Albinism. You may be thinking of those people right now, always striking to our eyes for their strangeness but at the same time, for their unique beauty.White skin, almost white hair and light eyes, sometimes even pink, as you know it is not an exclusive fact of human beings, it is also common among animals and even among the plant world. In fact, in Lifestyle we already talk to you on one occasion of the curious albino trees.
Today we invite you to learn more about albinism.I am sure there is some information that sorprende.
For those of us who are not albinos, the melanocytes fulfill their function by transforming the amino acid tyrosine into melanin and this, is distributed almost "magically", giving us a distinctive skin color (capable of protecting us from solar radiation in turn) and a certain shade for our eyes and our hair.If we cannot produce this substance, or it occurs at a very low level, hypopigmentation appears.It is also important that we make a small "appreciation." There are several types of albinism, there are those who, for example, can have very clear eyes but not blond hair.So, not all albinos have a complete hypopigmentation in all its features.


On the other hand, in this same category there are also those people who they have white or light yellow hair that darkens with age and that they also have a blue iris, which changes to gray or greenish with the passage of time.This is a characteristic that usually appears among the sub-Saharan population affected by albinism.


Image: Manolo Gomez, Felipe Fernandes, Ruben Diaz Caviedes, Feggy Art, Feije Riemersma
Today we invite you to learn more about albinism.I am sure there is some information that sorprende.
1.¿ What is albinism?
Absence of melanin. We could say that this is the fundamental fact.Albinism is a genetic condition that affects the pigmentation of skin and hair eyes, originated for a small mutation of the genes, resulting in the absence of melanin, but why does it arise? For us to be born with albinism, there must be a subtle chance: that both our father and our mother have this recessive gene.For those of us who are not albinos, the melanocytes fulfill their function by transforming the amino acid tyrosine into melanin and this, is distributed almost "magically", giving us a distinctive skin color (capable of protecting us from solar radiation in turn) and a certain shade for our eyes and our hair.If we cannot produce this substance, or it occurs at a very low level, hypopigmentation appears.It is also important that we make a small "appreciation." There are several types of albinism, there are those who, for example, can have very clear eyes but not blond hair.So, not all albinos have a complete hypopigmentation in all its features.

2.Types of albinism
2.1 Oculocutaneous albinism
In this case, hypopigmentation of skin and hair and eye characteristics may or may not change over time.There are people who are born with white hair, light skin and translucent irises that do not darken with age.We must keep in mind that they can also presenting several vision problems, not only is it a different physical appearance, they are people with problems who have to learn to adapt throughout their lives, and it is not easy, remember, for example, that within the world animal Albino specimens are easy prey for predators, animals of great beauty, which usually have a life full of dangers.
On the other hand, in this same category there are also those people who they have white or light yellow hair that darkens with age and that they also have a blue iris, which changes to gray or greenish with the passage of time.This is a characteristic that usually appears among the sub-Saharan population affected by albinism.
2.2.Complete albinism
Complete albinism is presented in people who come to the world with white skin and hair and eyes of a pink color. In addition, they usually have very striking spots in the intimate areas, also in the breasts.of very problematic albinism, because if they are exposed to the sun they can suffer very serious burns. Their life, as you can see, can be very complex.
3.Aicuna, the town with the highest number of albinos
We are in a small and isolated village in the mountains, specifically in Aicuna, west of the Argentine province of La Rioja, famous precisely because of its high albino population index of the oculocutaneous type.The cause? Inbreeding. But first we provide concrete data: according to a study by the John Hopkins University in the United States, there is one albino for every seventeen thousand people in the world.In Aicuna, meanwhile, there is a census of three hundred people, among which there are four albino people, all men.But, in fact, in the historical archives of this town, we can find equally interesting data: at the end of the nineteenth century the births of forty-six albinos were registered, only in Aicuna, a place that would deserve an authentic genetic analysis to delve into this phenomenon, although, of course, we would always find the always uncomfortable presence of the accounconsanguinidad mainly.
Image: Manolo Gomez, Felipe Fernandes, Ruben Diaz Caviedes, Feggy Art, Feije Riemersma
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