Look down at your arm. Do you think that you are pale compared to most people? If you do, then you are actually a lot darker than some people with a rare condition called Albinism. I will be informing you about this condition, and what it is.

First, I am just going to explain what this is. According to Mayo Clinic, “Albinism includes a group of inherited disorders that are characterized by little to no production of the pigment melanin”. Everyone has melanin in their body, but how much you have determines the color of your skin. Freckles are actually just spots on your skin with more melanin in them! So, people with albinism, just have a lot less melanin in them than most people  do!

Did you know that there are albino humans and animals? Well, a lot of animals can actually be albino too! They tend to be exquisitely beautiful, and often have red eyes. Some of my favorite albino animals  are, peacocks, chipmunks, and penguins. They are all beautiful, and are white or very pale just like humans!

They are lots of positive things about being albino, as well as some negative. To start off on a good key, lets list some positive things. First of all, they are beautiful in their own way, and look great in all dark clothing. Secondly, this makes them especially unique, which is always a good thing! I don’t like to be negative, but let’s talk about some bad things. First, they can get sunburned really easily which can eventually lead to skin cancer. And, a lot of albino’s tend to have eye issues, whether it is poor eyesight, or abnormal development of the retina.

Being albino means you lack a lot of melanin in your body. This can happen in animals, and humans, and  it’s magnificent! They are definitely pros and cons for each, but overall is very interesting and misunderstood. I hope enjoyed, and got some questions answered!

For more information, visit https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/albinism/symptoms-causes/syc-20369184.