What is albinism, how does it affect skin colour, what are the symptoms and are there any celebrities with albinism?
Albinism affects one in every 17,000 people and causes sufferers to have pale skin, hair and eyes
IT IS a genetic condition that causes a person to have very pale skin, white hair and even grey eyes.
Albinism affects one in 17,000 and most sufferers show the physical symptoms of the condition from birth. Here's all you need to know about the disorder...
What is albinism?
Albinism is a genetic condition that affects the production of melanin, the pigment that gives colour to the skin, hair and eyes.
People born with albinism typically have reduced amounts of melanin or none at all.
This means they often have very pale skin, very light hair and either blue or grey eyes.
The condition affects both men and women equally and albinism itself does not require any treatment.
However, symptoms such as very pale skin and eye sight problems may require medical attention.
How does it affect skin colour?
Albinism affects skin colour as sufferers usually have very little or no melanin production in their bodies.
Melanin is the natural pigment that gives colour to our skin, hair and eyes.
However, people who suffer from albinism find that due to low melanin, their skin has no colour and as a result they are very fair.
Due to their pale skin, it puts them at a greater risk of skin problems such as sunburn and skin cancer.
This means they have to constantly wear a high SPF and avoid going out in the sun when it is at its highest in the sky between 11am and 3pm.
What are the symptoms?
The most obvious symptom for people with albinism is pale skin, due to the lack of melanin in the skin.
They also often have very fair hair, but for some sufferers they can have ginger or brown hair if they have higher levels of production of melanin.
One of the main problems albinism sufferers experience is that due to low pigment in their eyes, they can face a host of sight problems.
Quite often they suffer from short sightedness as well as low vision and squints.
Other eye sight-related problems are photophobia, where the eyes are sensitive to light and astigmatism, that causes blurred vision.
However, some of these conditions can be remedied with glasses and contact lenses.
Are there any celebrities with albinism?
There are several celebrities that suffer from the condition that affects their appearance.
Among them is Dr Oscar Duke, an NHS doctor who has starred in Channel Four show 24 Hours in A&E and BBC documentary Born Too White.
Actor Michael Bowman, who featured in the Hollywood blockbuster Me, Myself and Irene, alongside Jim Carrey is also an albinism sufferer.
Meanwhile Big Brother's ninth series featured Darnell Swallow as a contestant. The US rapper came fifth in the contest.
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