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Medindia » Consumer Health » Health Information » Albinism - Albinism - Overview

Albinism / Hypopigmentation / Albinos

Albinism - Overview
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Albinism results in the partial or complete absence of pigment (color) in the skin, hair, and eyes. Commonly the individuals with the condition are called Albinos.


Albino individuals suffer from an inherited disorder of melanin production called Albinism. In this condition there is lack of pigmentation in the eyes, skin and hair. It is also known as hypopigmentation, oculocutaneous albinism or ocular albinism.

The natural pigment, melanin, is responsible for the color of our skin, hair and eyes. If the gene, encrypting this pigment is defective, our body will be pale and white. The tan a person gets is due to the increase in the pigment distribution when exposed to the ultra-violet rays of the sun. Melanin is a pigment that protects the skin from the harmful effects of UV light. The people in the tropics are darker for this reason, as they are more exposed to the sun, in comparison to the people who live in temperate climates.The less the sun, the more the paleness of the skin, hair and the eyes.

Albinism results in a partial or complete absence of pigment from the skin, hair, and eyes. Albino’s can live a normal life span, however, some form of albinism can be life threatening.

People suffering from skin and eye (oculocutaneous) albinism have white, yellow, or yellow-brown hair, light eyes, and pale skin. Some individuals with albinism have reddish or violet eyes, some have hazel or brown eyes. Most have blue. The parents of most children with albinism have normal hair and eye color and do not have a family history of albinism. This is a recessive type of inherited disorder which means that the chance of it being passed from one generation to the next is low.

Latest Publication and Research on Albinism - Updated on 12/05/2011

Variation in the Tyrosinase Gene Associated with a White Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae). - Published by PubMed

Refractive profile in oculocutaneous albinism and its correlation with final visual outcome. - Published by PubMed

Hybridism between Biomphalaria cousini and Biomphalaria amazonica and its susceptibility to Schistosoma mansoni. - Published by PubMed

Hypopigmentary disorders in children in South India. - Published by PubMed

[Study of tyrosinase gene mutation in oculocutaneous albinism type 1 patients]. - Published by PubMed

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Posted by:  shah1  Posted on: 12/20/2011
hi i m an allied health professional and doing my research on the visual outcome with different optical aids of albinos to enhance their activities of daily life so plz any of u if have informaation about albinism plz send it on my id

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Posted by:  pink_y(Guest)  Posted on: 12/04/2011
Hi, I am an albinic girl. I am 29 years old. I am orried about if I marry a guy than shall I have a normal baby or an albenic. What are the risk factors. Please help

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Posted by:  slinkey3(Guest)  Posted on: 11/01/2011
ok so im a freshmen and i wanted to know if albinism occures more in humans or animals

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Posted by:  Alone  Posted on: 10/30/2011
Can anyone tell me will my children have albinism if i marry a girl whose father have albinism?

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Posted by:  awesome(Guest)  Posted on: 11/13/2011
you can go to genetic counceling to see if your children have a chance of having albinism. its all in genetics.

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Posted by:  kersisparkle(Guest)  Posted on: 09/05/2011
I have a new friend at school that has this. He is the sweetest boy ever and I swear he acts no different than any other teenage boy on this earth [: But I'm always afraid to talk to him about this stuff like asking him questions I basically pretend like I don't notice that he's a black kid that's white. So this was helpful

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Posted by:  Alone  Posted on: 10/30/2011
I am planning to marry a woman whose father has albinism. Will i my children have albinism if I marry that woman though she does not have albinism.

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Posted by:  nikta  Posted on: 08/09/2011
I and my cousine carry albinism gene and neither of us have albinism,is it possible to change one of our gene or is there a way that we can born a healthy baby?

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Posted by:  YoJim(Guest)  Posted on: 02/08/2011
Albinos creep me out!

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Posted by:  owleyez(Guest)  Posted on: 08/10/2010
you guys are alllllll idiots LOL Im a senior with albinism!! PWNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

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Posted by:  IOnlyMadeThisLoginToPostThisComment(Guest)  Posted on: 03/11/2010
Omygosh! I'm a freshman doing a project on albinism! I saw a picture of an albino peacock and it was gorgeous! well, I had better go and finish up with my project! :)

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Posted by:  guest  Posted on: 03/15/2010
hahha wooooww mee too lol we are probly doing the same project and i thought the albino peacock was beautiful

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Posted by:  guest  Posted on: 04/26/2010
im doing a project on albinism tooooo!! holy cow.

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Posted by:  guest  Posted on: 05/11/2010
same here!!!! its so awesome

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Posted by:  guest  Posted on: 05/12/2010
ALL OF US! WOWOW! [ and yeah, that peacock is absolutly beautifull]

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Posted by:  guest  Posted on: 06/09/2010
Well we had someone doing this for a project for March, April, and May. I figured I would make the June person!

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Posted by:  moonbeam.stardust(Guest)  Posted on: 12/13/2010
same here. but i'm in middle skool!

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Posted by:  d_pennell(Guest)  Posted on: 02/09/2010
hi my name is Darean Pennell i live in lansing michigan and i am a freshman in high school. i am doing a paper on people with albinism and have found out alot of stuff. even though i am not ill i fill for any one who is and thank you for this infomation

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Posted by:  guest  Posted on: 02/22/2010
hey! I'm a freshman doing a project on albinism too.
haha. just thought i'd point that out.

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Posted by:  guest  Posted on: 02/24/2010
I am also doing a project, except I am a sophomore. Get owned.

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Posted by:  guest  Posted on: 02/24/2010
im also doing a project but im a senior PWNED!



Posted by:  guest  Posted on: 03/01/2010
Hey, me too! High five!



Posted by:  guest  Posted on: 07/24/2010
it's very good topic.
im intrstd to this topic furture research for albunism

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Posted by:  guest  Posted on: 03/08/2010
Oh ya. Well, I am a senior citizen in high school who has albinism. I win.

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Posted by:  guest  Posted on: 03/22/2010
i own all of yall haha

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Posted by:  guest  Posted on: 03/24/2010
eyyyy! ima freshman and im doin stuff about albinism too:p but im all confused



Posted by:  guest  Posted on: 03/28/2010
I think it is statistically proven that most [9/10] people who look up anything related to albinism are in high school or college

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Posted by:  guest  Posted on: 04/02/2010
no Im in junior high

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Posted by:  guest  Posted on: 04/06/2010
Sophmore oover heree

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Posted by:  guest  Posted on: 04/26/2010
i'm a freshman doing a project on it toooo! how coooooolllllll are weeeeee!!

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Posted by:  MTDezarr(Guest)  Posted on: 02/07/2012
Im a biologist, studying about this still you all have alot to learn young fellas.

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