What causes the yellow coloring in Asian skin?

Answer 1

Some Asians have yellow skin. Other Asians have brown skin. It depends on what part of Asia they are from. For example, if you are Korean you probably have yellow skin but if you are Indian you probably have brown skin.

Answer 2

the pigmentation of the skin is due to melanocytes, wich have melanin in their interior. there aren't any significant differences between the amount of melanin or melanocytes between african, asian, european, etc. the main factor for skin colour differences are due to the distribution of melanin in the skin. the more concentrated the darker is the skin and vice-versa.

Answer 3

Skin color depends on two things: firstly the amount of melanin produced and secondly the thickness of the skin.

Now the first part is mostly genetic, melanin production depends on active genes (and the amount of melanocytes). Asians have more melanin than Caucasian people, but less than African people, thus their skin color is darker than of Caucasian's but lighter than of African's. This is genetically preferable skin color for people living in Asia, because it gives natural protection against the sun's UV-rays (in respect to it's amount).

Now the thickness of ones skin, is also somewhat genetic, but is also a minor factor in this case. The short version is, that is evolutionary preferable for Asians due to their living region. (So once again it's 'location, location, location')

This is an example of natural selection in action.