Which term refers to the pigment that provides skin color?

• A. Keratin
• B. Melanin
• C. Carotene
• D. Hemoglobin

Answer: (B)

Melanin is the pigment produced by melanocytes in the epidermis that gives skin its color. The amount and type of melanin determine how dark or light the skin appears, and it also helps protect skin from UV radiation by absorbing some of the sun’s rays. Keratin is a structural protein, not pigment. Carotene is a yellow-orange pigment from the diet that can tint skin slightly but isn’t the primary pigment responsible for natural skin color. Hemoglobin is the red pigment in our blood that can influence skin tone when blood flow changes, but it isn’t the pigment that defines skin color itself.