Melanin is a pigment that can be found in the hair and skin of African and Asian people. Although it is more common in African skin, it can also be found in Caucasian hair. Melanin has become much more prevalent in the beauty industry over the last decade due to its versatility and abundance.
How much is Melanin worth? It is a question that has caused a great deal of debate among scholars, so we’ve decided to put it to the test. This article will explain that while it is a superconductor and pigment, the price of Melanin doesn’t necessarily reflect its actual value.
Melanin is worth approximately around $445 per gram, but that’s a far cry from what it used to be.
Chemicals have a Dollar Value
Did you know that melanin has a dollar value? It’s worth over $395 per gram more than gold, silver, platinum, palladium, and rhodium.
This dollar value makes melanin one of the most valuable substances in the world. But why? Here’s a closer look at the chemical industry’s dollar value. Listed below are some of the most commonly used chemicals, and their dollar value.
How Much is Melanin worth per Gram?
While it's a common misconception that "melanin injections" exist or that skin melanin is somehow linked to the pineal gland or traded on the stock market, these notions are erroneously misguided. In reality, melanin, a pigment found not just in the skin, but also in hair, boasts an extraordinary worth of over $445 per gram. At such a surprisingly high price, it's $395 pricier than gold, indeed surpassing the value of precious metals such as silver, platinum, palladium and rhodium. Commonly abundant in people of African and Asian descent, it is also present in Caucasian hair, despite differences in concentration levels. Reputed for its versatility, it is highly valued in the beauty industry. Moreover, because of its superconductor properties, scientists regard melanin as a promising material for bioelectronic interfaces. Both genetics and sunlight exposure impact the amount of melanin in a person's skin, providing natural protection against harmful UV rays. When it comes to hair colour, melanin plays a decisive role, with pheomelanin bestowing a red hue and eumelanin providing a black shade. A shortage of melanin can result in premature graying. Interestingly, it's even possible to generate melanin in the lab using the common cuttlefish, Sepia officianalis.
Melanin is a Pigment
The term melanin refers to a pigment produced by melanocytes and intracellular melanin granules in the skin. Melanin is a polymer of monomers, and it has two major types: eumelanin (brown) and pheomelanin (reddish yellow). Both types are derived from oxidized L-tyrosine. The two types of melanin are biopolymers, and their optical properties are dependent on their chemistry. Consequently, understanding melanin’s chemistry is necessary to understand melanosome morphology and biomimetic structural coloration.
The amount of melanin in the skin is largely determined by genetics, as babies inherit the color of their parents. However, certain behaviors and environmental conditions also play a role, including exposure to sunlight. Exposure to sunlight causes the body to produce more melanin, so people who spend a lot of time outdoors will probably have darker skin over time. It is believed that melanin may be responsible for the sex-related differences among people.
While melanin protects the skin from UV rays, it isn’t very effective. However, it does provide limited protection. Melanin absorbs UV rays and prevents damage to genetic material. Therefore, it’s a good idea to wear sunscreen and protective clothing when you’re outdoors. It also protects the epidermis from damage from UV rays. In fact, exposure to UV radiation can damage the DNA of human cells, which is why melanin is higher in dark-skinned people.
It is a Superconductor
Recent research has shown that melanin is a superconductor. It’s not an amorphous organic semiconductor, but rather an electronic-ionic hybrid conductor. Because of its unique structure and low dielectric constant, melanin is biocompatible, but it also has an exceptionally high relaxation frequency. This property of melanin makes it a promising candidate for bioelectronic interfaces.
Although it looks like a simple disordered conductor, melanin is a fascinating superconductor that can capture light, hold it in memory, and convert it to knowledge. As the color of the human skin determines the level of protection we have from the sun, melanin has a role in protecting our bodies. Studies suggest that melanin is a’superconductor’ that can be used for biomedical and cosmological applications.
As the beauty industry embraces melanin for its rich pigment, researchers have unravelled the valuable scientific application lurking beneath the melanin's unique characteristics; the properties of a superconductor. Melanin, costing approximately $445 per gram, bafflingly exceeds the values of gold, silver, platinum, palladium, and rhodium. Though it is plentifully found in individuals of African and Asian heritage, and even discernible in Caucasian hair, it is melanin’s remarkable performance in the scientific realm that underscores its high worth. Melanin hosts an extraordinary thermal resistance whilst exhibiting the ability to diffuse electron pairs, critical to its superconducting capabilities. As melanin meets a decisive temperature threshold, it manifests a drop in electrical resistance - almost to the point of no resistance. These characteristics have tapped into the potential of melanin for advancements like bioelectronic interfaces, underlining its versatility spanning from the beauty industry, through the aesthetic gradations of hair colour to cutting-edge scientific uses. The production of this pigment, primarily determined by genetic factors and exposure to sunlight, can also be lab-synthesised using the humble cuttlefish, Sepia officianalis, further enhancing melanin's availability and usability in various industries. So, whilst you may appreciate melanin for the variety it lends to our hair hues, remember it could very well be the tiny building block propelling us into a future of advanced bioelectronic technology and beyond.
Despite the astounding potential of melanin, the dark biological pigment more prevalent in people of African and Asian descent, this exceptional material still remains far from being profoundly exploited in bioelectronic applications, yet its high value in the market at an astounding $445 per gram, surpassing gold, silver, platinum, palladium, and rhodium, showcases its incredible worth. Intriguingly, this versatile pigment found abundantly in naturally dark hair, but present in all hair colourations and skin types, owing to the two types of melanin: pheomelanin, which imbues hair with reddish hues, and eumelanin, responsible for black hair tones, has piqued the interest of researchers due to its electrical superconductor properties. Studies show this biocompatible substance, the amount of which in the skin is largely determined by genetics and exposure to sunlight and which also offers limited protection against damaging UV rays, can be modified to increase its electrical conductivity by manipulating its structure through heating under vacuum conditions. Brilliant minds in the scientific field are now further delving into the potential of melanin for use within implantable electronics–a burgeoning field of technological advancement. While these initial findings are just the tip of the iceberg, they represent a pivotal step in harnessing melanin's extraordinariness to potentially revolutionise the realm of bioelectronics, proving this pigment's worth extends far beyond its beauty industry and pharmaceutical applications.
It Gives Hair its Color
Hair’s color comes from the pigment melanin, which is a granule of protein found in cells called melanocytes. Melanin must then be transferred to keratinocytes, which are present in the cortical and bulbous layers of hair. Keratinocytes phagocytize the tips of the melanocyte dendrites, stealing their cytoplasm. Because melanin can absorb light, it is responsible for the distinctive hue of hair.
The amount and type of melanin in hair are determined by several genes, including the MC1R gene. MC1R provides instructions for the melanocortin 1 receptor, which participates in the production pathway. The amount of melanin in a hair shaft determines its color depth. Less melanin means lighter hair. Melanin is responsible for the color of brown or black hair.
Melanin gives hair its color. Hair has two different types of melanin: pheomelanin and eumelanin. The eumelanin makes hair black, while pheomelanin gives hair its red color. Unlike other pigments, melanin is genetically determined. It also makes your hair shinier or duller. Therefore, it’s important to understand what causes the pigments in your hair to change color.
If you are suffering from premature graying, you might want to boost your melanin production. Melanin is produced by the pigment cells of your hair follicles. During the growth stage of your hair, melanin is not readily available. As a result, your hair will start to become gray, silver, or white. Despite all these benefits, melanin deficiency can be prevented with natural methods.
It Protects Skin Cells from Damage
Sunlight damages our skin cells, and melanin is responsible for protecting them. However, the protective mechanism is not perfect. You should always use sunscreen or wear appropriate clothing to protect your skin from the sun’s damaging rays. A new study reveals how your body mounts a defense system before you even begin tanning. Melanocytes contain a protein called rhodopsin, which is the eye’s photosensitive receptor. It sends calcium ion signals to induce the production of melanin.
To determine the protective role of melanin, researchers studied DNA damage caused by ultraviolet radiation (UV) lamps. These UV rays damage DNA in melanocytes, and thereby cause DNA damage. UV light, which is a leading cause of skin cancer, can cause DNA damage to melanocytes, but UV lamps are not the only culprit. Melanin can also help fight off free radicals in the skin, which is another factor in protecting cells.
Researchers from the University of California, San Diego, used a chemical to produce melanin-like nanoparticles. Researchers found that a polydopamine-based polymer could mimic melanin and protect skin cells from damage. These synthetic melanosomes were absorbed by human keratinocytes and distributed around the cell’s nuclei, just like natural melanin does.
It can be created in a lab for literally pennies
It’s been known for quite some time that you can produce melanin in a lab for pennies. The reason for this is because melanin is produced naturally by sepia officianalis, a common cuttlefish. By oxidizing the neurotransmitter levodopa, melanin precursor DOPAquinone is produced. This process is carried out by an enzyme called tyrosinase that is found inside the brain.
