Where do freckles come from?

Answer 1

Freckles, Party of Two Thousand?The major human pigment is called melanin and it is produced by cells in the skin called melanocytes. Melanin production is controlled by genetics as well as exposure to sunlight. If a person is dark skinned, then his/her melanocytes are metabolically more active and make not only more melanin but also a darker variety of the pigment. Everyone except albinos have the ability to produce melanin. When a person is exposed to sunlight, the melanocytes are stimulated to make more melanin. Evolutionary biologists think this is due to the protection from harmful U.V. radiation that darker skin affords to dark skinned people. Since we think that the first humans lived in very sunny areas, it makes sense that those people who didn't die of skin cancer (caused by too much sun exposure) would be the ones to pass their genes on to their offspring. Freckles are small patches of melanin that accumulate in the skin and can be made more noticable and more abundant by sun exposure. They are more usual in light skinned people, particularly people with reddish hair. This is due to genetics and freckles don't seem to play any role in disease or in any other aspect of one's life. They neither harm nor help - they just are!! If you have them, enjoy them as many people think that they are nice looking.

Answer 2

the sun