Skin color is determined by melanin, a pigment produced in the epidermis. Dark skin is rich in melanin pigments. Melanin protects us from the potentially cancer-causing ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun.
Light skin is an adaptation seen in populations from northern regions where sunlight is relatively weak. In these areas, the benefits of dark skin are outweighed by the need for bone-strengthening vitamin D, which is synthesized through exposure to UV rays. However, in hotter and sunnier regions, there is a greater risk of significant skin damage. Australia, where most of the population is of northern European ancestry, has the highest skin cancer rates in the world, with over 80% of all cancer diagnoses each year being skin cancer.
Sun protection is equally important as vitamin D production through sun exposure - the right mix makes the magic!